subject: Egyptian Tattoos - Ancient Charms on the Skin [print this page] Egyptian Tattoos - Ancient Charms on the Skin
The History Behind Hieroglyphs
Hieroglyphs are the basic elements of ancient Egyptian writing. They are mainly written from right to left, but sometimes the other way, or even from top to bottom. The direction of the glyphs can be learned from the bird symbol if it looks left, you must read it from right to left. These are important to know, when you are thinking about getting an Egyptian tattoo.
There are two basic types of hieroglyphs: logograms and phonograms. Logograms are for the objects they represent, like a bird for a bird, while phonograms are phonetic, meaning that they represent sounds.
Modern Egyptian Tattoo Types
Nowadays many like to return to the roots, and discover the fantastic art pieces of the past. Egyptian tattoos can show your devotion to mystical symbols, and they look very good and artistic.
One popular Egyptian design is The Eye of Horus. It is an all-seeing eye image - the eye of god Horus, the Sky God, who has a head of a falcon, and is associated with light and goodness. It also represents royal power, and indestructibility.
The Ankh is a special cross with a circle on its top, standing for eternity and rebirth. It was believed that all who possess the key of life would live forever (even if it meant life after death). So it is no wonder that many Ankh symbols have been found in Egyptian kings' burial chambers.
Just like the first two mentioned concepts, the Scarab is also in connection with life and death. It was the symbol of regeneration and rebirth in the ancient Egypt, and it looks great, too, in tattoo form. Early Christians turned it into the symbol of resurrection, while in the age of pharaohs it was used a royal title, just like for the famous young king Tutankhamen.
