Rose Tattoo
Designs
For time immemorial the rose
has been a beautiful symbol that has haunted the minds of
man.
Its geometric perfection and
physical beauty have stirred imaginations entwining the whole
of history in the rose symbol. From biblical legends of the
rose blushing its deep red from its pure white at the fall of
Adam and Eve, to the modern Harley Davidson Motorcycle
Companies Rose design men have imbued this design with so much,
it makes for the perfect tattoo. It can easily be varied in
size and design to suit for a small first tattoo or an large
tattoo. The design of such a tattoo can be changed for either
sex. In committing ink to skin there is nothing better than a
rose design for a memorial tattoo or as a statement of who you
are and what you believe.
What can
Rose Tattoos mean or symbolise?
Love -
Love is beautiful and often
cruel like the rose that is gentle and attractive scent but has
sharp hooked thorns that can easily draw blood.
A rose tattoos are a great way
to commemorate love or love lost; and by the simple addition to
an existing tattoo that represents love of falling petals or
blood on thorns can show the death or pain of that same
love.
Womanly strength
- 
The Greek and Roman love
goddesses Venus and Aphrodite were always affiliated with the
rose. It decorated there temples and they were often pictured
with them.
The romantic servitude of men
is symbolised in the rose as a gift, which began with the god
Eros presenting a rose to the god of silence as a symbol of his
hearts subjugation. Both the power of the ancient female gods
and the subjugation of male dominance of love are powerful
symbols for female empowerment.
Secrets -
In ancient Rome a wild rose
was placed on the door of rooms where secret meetings occurred
to ensure privacy. Such meetings were described as being “sub
rosa” beneath the rose. In the modern world where we all have
so many secrets this tattoo could be an external symbol of
something you have to keep internally or a declaration of
secrets left behind.
War / Chivalry -
In European history the rose
was a common symbol for knights heraldry. The perfection of the
flower in his heraldic symbol was a reflection of the knights
chivalry and of his warrior prowess.
Protection -
The Celts used to believe that
wild roses protected them from the forces of darkness. (e.g.
demons, ghosts and vampires). Wreathes of white wild roses are
used in many ancient pagan cultures to protect the purity of a
women against evil.
Purity / Sin -
A white/ red rose is a symbol
of purity as it was seen as the blushing flower at the fall of
man in the Garden of Eden.
Christianity -
Early Christians represented
the five petals of the rose with the five wounds of Jesus on
the cross. Later the rose was adopted by the church as a symbol
for the blood of martyrs of faith.
The Catholic Churches imagery
often depicts the Virgin Mary with roses.
Thus the rose tattoo would be
a fitting tribute to a Christian faith as a symbol of God’s
sacrifice for the sins of man.
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