Octopuses often feature in the art of the Minoan civilization – inhabiting Crete and other Aegean islands during the Bronze Age. When they push themselves through a small opening, it looks as if they are ‘pouring out’ – expanding in a seemingly impossible way.Ĭombined with their ability to regrow lost limbs, this gives rise to the association between octopuses and growth. In this context, an octopus themed tattoo can mean the ability to overcome obstacles and setbacks.Īs we’ve already found out, octopuses are large creatures capable of squeezing through the smallest cracks. Interestingly, octopuses are able to regrow a lost arm – so even when their strength and their defensive mechanisms fail them, they can overcome even major injuries. They are symbolic of resilience partly because they live in an environment that we, humans, couldn’t dream of surviving for any length of time. Though they might not look it, octopuses are strong creatures, able to withstand extensive damage and survive. An octopus style tattoo can mean that you consider yourself adaptable, tough, and able to come up with useful coping mechanisms – or that you think of these values as important in general. These characteristics have led to octopuses being symbolic of adaptability. Many octopuses have venomous saliva, and most are able to shoot out a burst of dark ink when threatened, to confuse an attacker. They also developed some impressive offensive and defensive techniques to hunt and to elude predators, respectively. This enables them to squeeze through cracks and holes that look way too small for them. Most octopuses have no skeletons or protective shells – their bodies are soft and squishy. Tattoos of the Kraken, usually seen with its arms wrapped around a ship, are still a popular choice and evoke notions of mystery, legend, and the unknown. Of course, we know the Kraken to be nothing more than a legend, but for centuries the Kraken was a very real part of sailors’ superstitions. It’s now thought that the myth of the Kraken originated with sightings of giant squids – cephalopods that really exist, and grow to even 15 meters (50 feet). In Scandinavian folklore, this legendary giant octopus dwelled in the waters off the coast of Norway and Greenland, terrorizing sailors with the threat of pulling their ships under the waves. Speaking of mysteries and legends, there is a mythical octopus-like creature known as the Kraken. It can mean a drive towards learning and exploration, or simply a liking for the enigmatic and unexplored. Not exactly what we’re used to here on firm ground.Īn octopus tattoo, then, can express a fascination with the unknown and mysterious. They have eight arms (sometimes called tentacles, though apparently this is technically an inaccuracy), three hearts, blue heart, and camouflaging skin. This must have been all the more true hundreds of years ago, when even less was known about underwater creatures.Īnother reason why we think of octopuses as mysterious is that they’re so completely different from us and the creatures with which we’re familiar. Much of the Earth’s oceans remain completely unexplored, and we tend to associate anything that lives far in beneath the waves with being elusive and enigmatic. Part of the reason behind this association is sure to be the fact that they live at the bottom of the sea – a space few of us will ever see first-hand. Perhaps fittingly, then, one of the key symbolic meanings of the octopus is that of mystery. While for most people, it’s obvious that a lion stands for strength and a fox for cleverness, for instance, the octopus presents much more of a challenge. The octopus is not immediately clear as a symbol. We’ve also got a massive gallery of tentacle tattoos to guide and inspire you as you plan your next piece of gorgeous body art! If you’re looking to find out more about the meaning of octopus themed body art and explore some great octopus tattoo ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Octopus make for truly unique tattoos, with plenty of flexibility and scope for creativity in design and placement. Check out our list of the most amazing octopus tattoo designs in the world! Get inspired for your next tattoo by these incredible ideas.
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