Wolf tattoo: inspirational photos and meaning

There are not many animals with majesty equal to the wolf. A wolf tattoo it can be not only a very attractive and original design, but also a tattoo with an important meaning. The wolf is actually one of those nocturnal animals that inspire the most fear and respect, both now and for centuries in various cultures. Some of them considered the wolf to be an evil creature from which you need to protect yourself, others - an animal symbol of courage, ferocity and wisdom. Let's see a little more what is a wolf tattoo.

Wolf tattoo: meaning

The wolf, in fact, is the biological ancestor of the domestic dog, lives in packs, hunts for its prey and has very complex language codes. I am shy animals by their nature, which rarely attack humans (except in the case of rabid wolves), are prized by hunters and farmers, but very fearful and often persecuted by shepherds.

However, as we have said, the wolf is an animal that has acquired a different reputation over the centuries in different cultures, including due to the fact that the gray wolf is one of the animals more or less common on all continents. On Japanese culture for example, wolves were considered divine animals. Farmers worshiped them and placed offerings near their burrows, begging the wolves to protect the crops from wild boars and foxes. On the other hand, the Scandinavians believed in Fenrir, the giant wolf, son of Loki, who, like his father, hadextraordinary intelligence and he could speak, making himself a strong adversary both in mind and in physical greatness.

Turks, Mongols and Ainu (Japanese population) believed that wolves had something to do with foundationthat they were their ancestors. Also Greeks and Romans they attached a certain meaning to the wolf, associating it with the divine figure of Apollo. V American Indians they had deep respect for the wolfas a hunter and hunter of food for the pack, a common character that was also shared by many Native American tribes. The wolf was also an important religious animal for the Indians, its totem gave the power to hunt, war, and heal.

Based on the characteristics of the wolf and the qualities attributed to it throughout history, we can say that a wolf tattoo may represent power, family, freedom, protection and instinct.

Therefore, we can say that in general the wolf tends to take on positive meanings, but there are many negative reviews about the wolf which are mainly related to his role in literature... In many tales, legends and tales, the wolf is depicted as a skillful and cunning hunter, often in the guise of a "villain". Aesop, for example, used a wolf to illustrate a character dangerous and hypocritical... Jesus used the wolf in a very similar way, portraying himself as a shepherd, thus designating them as a symbol of "evil predators." Dante used a she-wolf to represent greed and greed and Charles Perrault created perhaps the most famous big bad wolf in history - Little Red Riding Hood!