Aztec Tattoos & Aztec Tattoo Designs
Aztec Tattoo Designs come from the ancient art and history of the Aztec people.
They incorporate bright colors and intriguing stories that are found in few other tattoo designs. Aztec tattoos have received something of a bad reputation because they have been favored by members of Hispanic gangs.
This though should not keep you from getting a tattoo that is steeped in the history of a powerful and artistic people.
The Aztec people lived in what is now known as Mexico from the 13th to the 16th century. In the Aztec culture tattoos were a sign of wealth and status. They could be used to show relation to a tribe or as a warrior or wealthy member of the village. Aztec tattoos are very complex and filled with color, and many of them had a very spiritual meaning to them.
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Nearly any tattoo design that you would pick with a Aztec theme would have some sort of spiritual or historical significance to the Aztec people. They prized their art nearly above all else and would constantly work on ways to improve it. Many times a tattoo was placed on the body to show devotion to a certain God, adults as well as children were tattooed in honor of their chosen God. Common places for the tattoo would be the chest, stomach or wrist.
Each God had its own symbol and they were the most common tattoos, but there are other symbols that were important to the Aztec people, such as eagles, warriors, princesses and the Aztec calendar. One of the popular Aztec gods for tattoos is Huitzilopochtli who was the Aztec sun god. The Aztecs believed that the sun was the guardian of all life and that is why today an Aztec sun tattoo represents a belief in the afterlife.
Another popular god is Quetzalcoatl who is the serpent god of ancient Mexico. He was the god of weather, creativity and fertility and was the most powerful of all the gods. If you do choose to get an Aztec tattoo you can be certain that few other tattoos will have such historical significance.
Aztec tattoo designs are normally very large and very ornate. They involve many intricate patterns and colors that are found in few other tattoos. This is very important to keep in mind when you are looking into getting an Aztec tattoo because you will need to dedicate a large amount of space for it. For this reason most Aztec tattoos are done on the back or the bicep.
There are two major options when deciding on an Aztec tattoos because they are either done in a black outline with no color, or a full color option that has a large amount of color. Since Aztec tattoos are steeped in ancient meaning it is wise to make sure you know what the design you have chosen means before you commit it to your skin. If you do not want to get a large tattoo, there are small options available like images of the Aztec animals or sun designs.
Celebrity Aztec Tattoos
These can be done just about anywhere and are normally done in black ink. There are a number of celebrities who have chosen to get an Aztec style tattoo because of their strong connection to history. Actor Brian Green from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has an Aztec thunderbird on his shoulder. Actor John Leguizamo is also reported to have an Aztec style design on his shoulder as well. If you choose to get an Aztec tattoo design, choose something representative of the art of the ancient culture and you as well.
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