Understanding the meaning of a raven tattoo: meaning and attitude to the symbol in different cultures


If a few decades ago tattoos were invariably associated with prison, piracy or simply an indecent lifestyle, now anyone can get a tattoo. Moreover, such body drawings can even be called a separate form of art.

The technical capabilities that the twenty-first century brought with it have made it possible to improve and diversify the appearance of tattoos. It is worth noting that choosing a tattoo is a very important question.

It’s not for nothing that many artists advise you to think twice before getting a tattoo, and also to study the meaning and symbolism of the desired design. Sometimes people resort to the services of a master to create a sketch, but they are also easy to find on the Internet.

Many clients of tattoo parlors prefer not to split hairs, but to choose one of the popular designs. One of these is the raven tattoo - a bird that is probably familiar to everyone.

However, despite the outward simplicity of the raven, a tattoo with its image has a very deep meaning.

Crow tattoo

The designation of a raven tattoo for guys will largely depend on the composition as a whole, the pose of the bird, and the way it is depicted. The most popular sketches in 2018-2019 are:

Flying raven - power of the soul, a tendency towards aggression towards the weak, anger and cunning.

of raven wings is cunning and insidious, and the tattoo is more of a warning symbol.

A flock of crows means haste, fussiness, serious intentions to dominate other people.

A raven on a branch in a calm state - the depth of a man’s feelings, but distrust of others, inner loneliness.

The white raven symbolizes that a man is not like everyone else, protests against imposed norms, can be an outcast, asocial and independent of material wealth.

Men's and women's tattoos

It is worth recognizing that girls are more often interested in such tattoos than men. Some experts believe that the meaning is different for men and women. In general, if you look into the details, the raven itself is both a masculine and feminine sign. It represents the dark feminine side, yin.

The masculine side of this symbol is wisdom and awareness of mystical secrets, the ability to see what is inaccessible to the eyes of ordinary people.

The raven is a strong bird, but rarely enters into open confrontation. First of all, it is a scavenger, waiting for the prey to be “ready”. He always senses when and where the next feast of flesh and blood will be. Consequently, he has the gift of foresight, or strong intuition.

Girls often choose sketches with flying birds. They also like options with trees, old houses, the moon, candles, or a lantern, and a pocket watch. In a direction such as steampunk, the raven himself can wear a watch, clothes, hat and monocular.

Lovers of ethnic designs are found among both sexes. This is a style reminiscent of the drawings of the Celts, tribal, Romans, and ancient themes.

Why choose a raven tattoo and its meaning?

Initially, tattoos with ravens began to be tattooed on the body by the Celts, who considered the bird a symbol of the gods of battles and death. It was from then on that the crow began to be associated with dark forces, death, evil, witchcraft, suffering and Satanism. Also in these tribes, the raven was a symbol of superpowers for prophecy and predicting the future.

For African tribes and peoples, this bird, on the contrary, was a symbol of goodness, good luck and victories in battles. The Scandinavian peoples considered the raven a symbol of the god Odin; the bird was valued for its sharp mind and good memory. Shamans and Indians considered the raven to be the ancestor of man. The Romans considered the bird a symbol of hope for the future.

Do you like raven tattoos?

Not really

The Egyptians believed that the raven predicted destruction, wars and other disasters. China has long and to this day considered the raven a symbol of a strong family and faithful love until the end of life. Christians have always been wary of crows, considering such birds to be the personification of cunning, deceit, vindictiveness and sabotage.

Today, the symbolism of the raven tattoo has not changed much since then. But a lot depends on the color scheme, the location of the bird on the person’s body, and his hobbies. It is a symbol of air, a sharp mind and wisdom, good memory, fertility and prophecy, a happy family and news from the gods.

What will help you solve the dream?

Similar properties were attributed to it by the Celts, Germans and peoples of Siberia.

List of dream books

  • Vanga's Dream Book
  • Miller's Dream Book
  • Assyrian dream book
  • Lunar dream book
  • Dream Interpretation of Kopalinsky
  • Love dream book

Video of why you dream of a raven on your shoulder

Catching a crow with your hands in a dream foreshadows disagreements and disputes. Killing her is a sign of victory over the enemies. Seeing crows sitting in trees predicts that you will soon have to resolve an important issue in your family or at work with colleagues. Seeing a crow is a harbinger that you may become a victim of a cunning deception. Hearing her croak in a dream means failure and bad news. Eating crow meat in a dream means trouble.

Where do men get raven tattoos?

Before depicting a raven on the body, a man must accurately determine the correct decoding of both the sketch itself and the different areas on the body. Because a tattoo with such a bird in different places can imply radically different meanings and sacred meanings.

Shoulder

Shoulders are an indicator of a person’s reliability and strength, which means that raven tattoos are placed here, which could signify the degree of reliability, responsibility, and stability of the owner. A raven can be a special mark on the shoulder, indicating that a man has the ability to see the future.

Examples of such tattoos:

Forearm

The forearm is an exposed area of ​​the body, as the hands are always visible. Therefore, a raven on the forearm is a kind of protest against society, an indicator that a man goes against the rules in favor of his own attitudes.

Examples of such tattoos:

Wrist tattoo

A tattoo on the wrist is an indicator that a man has a zest and mystery. The meaning of the tattoo directly depends on the form in which the bird is presented. It can also be a talisman against evil, deception, to sharpen memory and intellect.

Examples of such tattoos:

Tattoos on the palm, hand and fingers

Hands are a place responsible for influencing the world around us, which means that a tattoo with a raven on the hands or fingers will indicate that a man strives for freedom, power, or, possibly, dominance over others.

Examples of such tattoos:

Tattoo sleeve

A sleeve tattoo is a whole artistic creation that implies a deep sacred meaning. A calm raven on a branch speaks of wisdom and the depth of a man’s feelings; a bird of prey personifies danger, anger, aggression, and protest to the entire environment. Tattoos with a secret meaning are applied to the palm, often these are amulets.

Examples of such tattoos:

Neck

A tattoo with a raven on the neck is a sign that a man does not want to be like everyone else, and perhaps he is the “black sheep” in society. A kind bird speaks of his openness to contacts and communication, a sleeping or flying bird speaks of his readiness to defend himself and his truth.

Examples of such tattoos:

Breast

If a large flying raven bird is located on a man’s chest, most likely he is thereby trying to protect himself from dangers and risks. Also, the meaning of a tattoo can relate to personal life, the desire to find a family, fidelity and devotion to one’s feelings.

Examples of such tattoos:

Side

If the raven is located on its side, the man applies the tattoo only for personal reasons and not for the gaze of other people. If a bird is under the heart, it can be a symbol of love, a strong family and offspring. On the other hand, raven is applied in order to convey to a man his strong qualities.

Examples of such tattoos:

Hip

Tattoos on the hips are more of an intimate nature and subtext; a raven can be an indicator of a sensitive and loving nature, a faithful and loving man.

Examples of such tattoos:

Back

The back is a kind of shield for a man and his family, which means that a tattoo in the form of a raven on the back is considered a talisman against dark forces, evil, betrayal, and ill-wishers. Also, a man thereby shows his desire to dominate, to be a leader in society.

Examples of such tattoos:

Spatula

On the shoulder blades there are usually very personal tattoos that have a deep meaning. A raven in this place can be a role model when a man seeks to cultivate the same qualities in himself.

Examples of such tattoos:

Leg

If a tattoo with a raven is on the leg, this is most often a manifestation of dissatisfaction with the full extent of what is happening in a man’s life; perhaps he needs the support of loved ones. Or, on the contrary, he shows the stability of his character and position, his readiness to be responsible for the family.

Examples of such tattoos:

Compositions with other elements


A popular combination is a raven and a skull. In such images, two composition options are possible: the bird sits on the skull or its figure smoothly merges with it.

Unlike the crow, the raven is a predator. At unfavorable moments in history, these birds were known as corpse eaters. Therefore, the gloomy figure of a raven is sometimes depicted together with crosses. The image of a dial or hourglass also fits perfectly into the composition of such tattoo sketches.

The image of a raven with a flower becomes more romantic. Most often, the bird is depicted together with a bright red rose - this option is well suited for girls. Crow can be applied to the skin with a forest background, tree branches, a key, feathers, as well as the full moon.

Sketches that include an eye look original. This element can be located separately in the image or on the bird’s head as a third element. The most common animal that the crow is paired with is the wolf.

Scandinavian runes often become part of tattoo designs with such a bird. This is due to the large role the raven plays in Scandinavian culture. In Scandinavian myths, he accompanies the main god of the pantheon, Odin.

Are there any guidelines for getting a raven tattoo?

Before getting a tattoo, a man must weigh the pros and cons and listen to advice from body painting masters. Recommendations may include several points:

  1. Animal - establish in advance the symbolism of the raven, what cultures treated it and how it was treated, what is the modern interpretation of such tattoos.
  2. Style - the meaning of a tattoo can differ radically in different stylistic interpretations; choose a style in advance according to your image, age, character and lifestyle.
  3. Sketch - create a unique drawing, do not repeat after anyone, add details and symbolism to the drawing that will be appropriate.
  4. Place of application - read the sacred designation of each area on the body, compare it with the meaning of the raven tattoo.
  5. Disguise – consider whether there is a need to periodically hide the tattoo from view, for example, in a work environment or at events with a strict dress code.

Important! Raven may not always be clearly perceived by society, so it is better to apply it to those areas that can be easily hidden by clothing.

Best color scheme

It is impossible to choose a universal best color scheme. The set of shades depends on the sketch and preferences of the person. The black, tarry color without interspersed with other tones emphasizes the negative meaning of the picture. It makes the image dark. Adding white to the palette changes the meaning of the tattoo to a positive one. Birds are often depicted with several gray feathers. Can be applied to the skin of a completely white crow. A compromise option is a bird with a gray feather in its beak. Sometimes the design is supplemented with a branch with white flowers.


The black color emphasizes the meaning of the design.

Men most often choose black shades. Girls prefer to dilute the design with bright colors. To make the tattoo more feminine and delicate, you can introduce yellow or red tones into the color scheme. Gray and blue-black colors are more common in prison environments and are recommended to be avoided.

How to choose a tattoo design for a location on the body?

When choosing a tattoo design and location on the body, proportionality will be an important criterion. Consider a few tips beforehand:

  • back, chest, forearms, arms and legs - here you can depict large drawings of a raven of a believable scale, the bird can be supplemented with a background, symbols, and other characters;
  • shoulder blades, hips, shoulders, palms and hands - here medium-sized ravens are most often depicted, or only their wings, head, a moderate number of symbols and details is welcome;
  • fingers, wrists, neck, back of the head - a small space contradicts large drawings with detail; symbols, drawings in the minimalist style, graphics are appropriate here.

Popular tattoo styles

The most popular styles combined with raven include the following:

  • realism;
  • trash polka;
  • minimalism;
  • graphic arts;
  • dotwork;
  • traditional

Realism is the most common. If image quality is your top priority, this style is best. It reflects the master's skills well. Experienced tattoo artists draw even the smallest details, their images resemble prototypes. However, realism is better suited for large drawings.


Realism is the most popular style.

If you prefer small, neat tattoos, it is recommended to choose minimalism, graphics or dotwork. You can decorate the image with bright watercolor elements. This will make the drawing less dark and ominous.

Sketches with aggressive birds go better with the trash polka style. Its distinctive features are a limited range of colors, negligence and the presence of many strokes of paint. The predominant shades are black and red. This emphasizes the ominous nature of the image and adds gloom.

Styles and colors that are popular for raven tattoos

If you want to decide on the style of a raven tattoo, you can look through different options on the Internet, or you can choose from those that are at the peak of popularity today. Practice shows that I most often depict a crow in several variations:

realism - the most plausible picture, where the raven is similar to a living bird;

trash polka - tattoos of an aggressive and flying raven, which personifies dark forces and mysticism, are popular in this style;

dotwork – careful work with dot application of a pattern, which allows the paints to harmonize with the structure of the skin;

minimalism - suitable for applying tattoos to small areas of the body;

graphics - an extraordinary approach to the image of a raven, where rough, hard lines predominate.

Holding a crow in your hands in a dream, holding a black crow


If you saw a black crow in your hands in a dream, you will be lucky enough to calm someone close to you

  1. If you saw a black crow in your hands in a dream, you will be lucky enough to calm a person close to you who will be furious.
  2. Holding a crow in your hands means calming a stranger whose interests are alien to you.
  3. Little Crow means a quick trip abroad. If you saw a crow with its crows, these are your unrealistic dreams, new plans for life.

Taking chicks in your arms means your life will improve, calm family relationships.

Symbols that a tattoo can be combined with

Symbolism is very popular as it can influence the meaning of a tattoo or change it completely. In addition, it is also aesthetics that allows the tattoo to be unique and unique. As for the raven, it is most often combined with the following symbols:

feathers - wisdom, knowledge, experience;

clock - the cyclicality and transience of life;

the key is the mystery of the soul, devotion to one’s choice;

skull - death;

flowers – romance, love, sensuality and passion.

Why do you dream about a crow?

Most dream books claim that seeing this bird in a dream is not good:

  • according to Miller’s dream book, a crow in a dream predicts sad events;
  • Tsvetkov claims that a crow appears in a dream as a sign of bad news;
  • Ayurvedic dream book predicts a sad funeral;
  • according to Freud’s dream book, a crow in a dream indicates denial of one’s emotions and feelings;
  • Vanga’s dream book states that the crow is a messenger of bad news and death;
  • the Muslim dream book interprets the crow as an image of a vicious, low person;
  • according to Meneghetti's dream book, a crow symbolizes psychological dependence on a wiser and more mature person. It also indicates the dreamer’s desire to become more experienced, smarter and more independent.


This attitude towards the image of a crow is easily explained by the fact that these birds are scavengers and always appear in places of mass deaths

Examples of raven tattoos that are not recommended. Their significance in the criminal world

Some tattoos with a raven can have a dual meaning, which is not always beneficial to a man. This is because the designation of a tattoo in real life does not always correspond with how it is interpreted in criminal circles and in the zone. In the zone, such a tau is regarded as an “on thief,” that is, a person engaged in theft.

The second meaning is “a thief - he is born of hatred alone,” which means we are talking about a thief in law who has a negative attitude towards everyone around him, and sometimes even towards his own life. Therefore, once in prison, a man will have to answer for the meaning of the raven tattoo, since in these circles it is always negative.

Vanga's Dream Book

Seeing a raven in a dream foretells a turn in fate for the worse. For a young girl, this is a warning about the infidelity of a loved one. A raven flying around a house is a harbinger of someone's death in the house. A croaking raven is a sign of misfortune in the family of friends or neighbors. A raven pecking at something means you will experience mortal fear.

Raven is a sign of imminent sadness. A raven's wing spread over you means imminent danger in reality. A croaking raven dreams of losses. If in a dream you participate in a raven hunt, a good harvest is expected. Flocks of crows that you dreamed of on the plain predict disasters and famine. Seeing ravens dead is a very good sign. I dreamed of a crow in a dream. Dream interpretation black crow.

Have you seen a dead bird in your apartment in a dream? Be sure to find out why you dream about such a plot. For example, Miss Hasse promises deliverance from troubles and problems to those who dreamed of a similar plot.

If a raven sits on your shoulder, prepare to be attacked by enemies. The dreamer will have to make efforts to prevent the secret intrigues of his enemies and stop them. Perhaps something illegal is being prepared.

Get ready to transform and experience a different reality, get ready for the changes that will come in your world.

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