Egyptian Tattoos

Egyptian Tattoos
Tattoos based on Egyptian designs are one of the most sought after designs in the world today. If you too wish to go for it, the information on different Egyptian symbols and meanings will help you.
ThoughtfulTattoos Staff
Tattooing is a form of art where there is no bound to your creativity. As this is a form of self-expression, you can simply inscribe any symbol or design on your body as a form of tattoo. Most of the people go with the trend and choose the most popular or widely used designs for tattoos. However, there are some who use symbols and pictures from ancient art over the popular ones. Gothic tattoo designs and Egyptian tattoo designs are perfect examples of these.
Egyptian Symbols and Meanings
History of the Egyptian tattoo making goes back to nearly 2000 to 3000 BC. Several mummies have been discovered having tattoo like drawings on their body. This shows that tattooing was a commonly practiced custom in ancient Egypt. Some people even believe that tattoo making originated here. Ancient Egyptians had made a remarkable progress in the field of art and hence, we find many drawings and designs that are used today as tattoo designs. There are some symbols that are widely used as they have a deep meaning associated to it. They include:
The Ankh
The Ankh or the Egyptian eye is one of the most popular tattoo symbols today. It symbolized life and hence, was considered as a sacred symbol. The picture of the Ankh is found in several drawings related to the ancient Egypt. The Ankh is also known as the Egyptian cross, and is one of the most iconic tattoo symbols, next only to the Christian cross. The Ankh can be made in different forms and colors and is one of the widely identified ancient Egyptian symbols today.
The Eye of Horus
Another popular tattoo is the eye of the Horus or the eye of the Ra, or the all-seeing sacred eye. This tattoo can be made on any part of the body, however, the eye of the Ra tattoo is made on the part of the body where it can easily capture the attention of the viewer. The eye of the Horus is one of the best Egyptian tattoo ideas found today.
According to ancient Egyptian culture, Bastet or the Basthet is the goddess of protection, pleasure and health. She has the body of the woman and head of the cat and is popularly known as the cat goddess. She also symbolizes fertility and childbirth and hence, one of the respected figures. The picture of Bastet can make an excellent tattoo design for lovers of ancient art, mythology as well as cat lovers. This tattoo is usually larger in size and therefore, made on back, stomach or shoulders.
The Scarab or the Scarabaeid beetle was considered as one of the divine creatures by the ancient Egyptians as it symbolized reincarnation. The beetle was also included in one of the royal titles used by the Pharaohs. The scarab can be drawn in a single tattoo design or can even be mixed and matched with other symbols.
Apart from these; the sphinx, phoenix and serket or the scorpion are the other Egyptian symbols used for tattoo designs. If you really wish to have more elaborate and colorful design, you can have the images of the famous Pharaohs like Tutankhamen, Nefertiti, Ramses, etc. drawn on the body as a form of art. You can even mix two symbols like the Scarab on the Egyptian cross, etc. if you wish to create a unique tattoo.
Egyptian tattoos are one of the best tattoo designs you can have, as these designs are never out of fashion. Lastly, you should remember that tattoo making and tattoo removal is a painful process and hence, it is essential to put a lot of thought before going for it. Secondly, it is recommended to have a tattoo made by a certified professional tattoo artist. Ciao!
Illustration of a black Egyptian cat
Eye of Horus ??? amulet