The Endurance and Longevity of Turtle Tattoos
Patient and wise are the words that most commonly come to mind when one thinks of the turtle. The protective shell of the turtle also represents protection and inner knowledge, making this creature a favoured tattoo symbol.
Since the turtle has practically been around since the beginning of time (250 million year ago) it is often linked with creation, some early peoples even believed that the world was held on the back of a giant turtle.
In China the turtle represents strength, endurance and longevity, and has been used as a protective emblem during war. Africans believed that the turtle was a male symbol of fertility and often kept them as pets, while in Greece it was a symbol of Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
The sea turtle, spending nearly his whole life in water, has come to represent freedom, tranquility and peace. Baby sea turtles are associated with the constellation Pleiades (Seven Sisters) as it appears in the sky just as the hatched turtles are making their way to the sea.
In the South Pacific the turtle is sacred and thought to be an ancestor of the people. Polynesians use turtle tattoos to identify their genealogy and social status, so the placement of a turtle tattoo is key.
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