Tattoo Caduceus - meaning and symbolism, where to apply (on the shoulder, forearm, hand), inspiring photos

Origin versions

As far as we know from archeological data, the ancient Hellenes borrowed the sign of caduceus from the Egyptians, then it was taken over by the Romans. In translation from Greek the word means "messenger's staff". In antiquity, the caduceus was an attribute of Hermes, the divine envoy, son of Zeus. He used this rod to open the gates of the netherworld, as he had the right to raise the dead and appear in different guises.

In ancient Rome, there was practically a counterpart of Hermes - Mercury. One day he saw snakes biting each other, curled up in a ball - it was a real symbol of chaos. The god threw his staff into the serpent's nest to separate them, and the two snakes, meeting their gaze, froze, wrapped around the staff.

Mercury was the patron saint of merchants, heralds, merchants, negotiators, sorcerers, magicians, warriors, and shepherds. The symbol of caduceus was worn as a sign of immunity messenger and messenger, wealth and success. It can be found as a decorative and symbolic element on many buildings - banks, courts, chambers of commerce, commercial institutions.

The classical version of the caduceus is a rod with two snakes wrapped around it, with wings and a sun-shaped disk on top. It is a model of harmony and symmetry, a symbol of speed, the ability to negotiate and reconcile warring parties. It is also a very important magical symbol for supporters of the tradition of Hermeticism.

Staff - a symbol of power, connecting heaven and earth, on it passes the way of the divine envoy, information from above. The spiral of serpent bodies means the struggle and unity of the two opposite principles, the balance of the polar forces of good and evil, light and darkness, progress and involution. Together, the two snakes symbolize wisdom and knowledge. The wings indicate heavenly patronage and harmony of the material and spiritual.

Meaning of the caduceus tattoo

The imposition of such a tattoo obviously implies the connection of a person with a certain professional direction. Also the choice may be due to other reasons - personal, mystical, biographical.

The set of meanings that are read in this image:

• harmony of soul and body, one seeks balance with oneself and the world around one;
• peace and tranquility: after realizing one's own shortcomings one can come to acceptance, and knowing the basics of the world order also gives wisdom and humility;
• secret knowledge, the apprehension of truth;
• Justice and objectivity - the bearer of the tattoo caduceus seeks to judge all objectively, he also strictly evaluates his actions, thoughts and desires;
• Creative impulse - tattoo caduceus attracts inspiration, promotes the disclosure of talents, the flight of fancy.

Where to apply the tattoo caduceus

Most often you can find this figure on the shoulder - right or left. Successfully looks variant on the forearm, as well as on the scapula, back, chest. There are pictures also on the hip and shin, but less often.

The choice of location depends on the shape of the tattoo. Usually it is an elongated picture, but if it is rounded or inscribed in an oval, it looks more effective on the chest or shoulder blade.

Decoration

The color scheme of the caduceus tattoo is varied, the image is well perceived as in black and white, and in a colored version. A monochrome version of the main figure with colored additional elements is widespread.

The variants of the caduceus tattoo are incredibly numerous. There are sketches where the role of the rod is performed by a sword, a dagger, a traced spine. Often the wings at the top of the staff are carefully derived with biological precision, they are replaced by an eagle, dove or raven. Snakes can change position, the number of rings around the staff also varies.

There are unusual versions of the caduceus tattoo where each intersection of the serpent bodies marks the point of one of the seven chakras on the back - an obvious link to the world of energy and esoterics. Often the tattoo is accompanied by an inscription.

Who wears a caduceus tattoo?

Among men, this sign is chosen by self-confident, successful people or striving for success. They tend to search for new knowledge and comprehend hidden information. They are often not bad disputants, skilled businessmen and lawyers. Also Mercury symbol preferred by physicians, because the snake venom was a panacea for many diseases. Women also prefer the caduceus tattoo, but more often it is decorated with bright symbols - ribbons, flowers, the sun, plant motifs.

By temperament, this man is more like a sanguine, he is easy on the rise and quickly picks up ideas, information and has no problem running projects. But not everything is as superficial as it seems. This person clearly has ulterior motives and secret life.

In general, they like things to develop constructively, in their places and at the right speed. The main thing is that they are at the origin of the process, whether in a leadership position or in the role of "gray cardinal", the attention they do not need at all. Among the owners of the caduceus tattoo there are strong in spirit, courageous people who know how to guide others in a critical situation.

Variants of finished caduceus tattoos can be seen in photos and videos, you can also download a free beautiful drawing basics for future tattoos.

Photo Caduceus tattoo ideas