Lovely anchor with flowers tattoo.

The dewdrops are absolutely amazing work on this tattoo!

 

The anchor tattoo design is a very popular maritime symbol. This design is centuries old and is considered as one of the oldest tattoo designs sported by sailors. Anchor tattoos have become a very popular tattoo design with girls as these can be customized with a variety of colors and combined with other designs like flowers, dolphins, stars, and ship wheels.

Anchor Tattoo Symbolism

Originally, merchants, sailors, navy servicemen, and other maritime workers started the trend of anchor tattoos. Hence, this tattoo design has been closely associated with maritime activities. An anchor is a tool that connects and holds a water-faring vehicle to the seabed. Therefore, the meaning behind the anchor tattoo design is stability.

Anchor tattoos also have a Christian symbolism attached to them, as the top bar of an anchor looks like a cross. Anchors are considered significant even in mythology as they are believed to be an artistic tribute to various sea gods and goddesses like - Neptune (the Roman sea god; storm maker and earth shaker); Amphitrite (the Greek sea goddess and nymph who protects sailors and gives birth to dolphins); Poseidon (the Greek sea god, rebel with a pitchfork and the protector of all inhabitants of the sea); Triton (the Greek sea god who is half-man and half-fish); Rán (the old Norse sea goddess who is considered as an omen of bad weather and/or tumultuous seas); Varuna (the Hindu god of the oceans who has the power to make noble humans immortals and also those who lost their lives at sea, their souls were assigned into his care).

An anchor tattoo is a very personal tattoo design. The symbolism can vary from person to person, based on how the anchor is perceived by them. Some people perceive these tattoo designs as a symbol of steady and strong relationships and bonding with family, friends, and spouses. Anchor tattoos also mean protection, honor, duty, and devotion, as it associates men and women to the military.

Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/anchor-tattoos-for-girls.html