Tattoo stars on the knees - history and meaning of the prison tattoo, photo works

The art of prison tattoo

Tattoos associated with various illegal activities began to gain popularity several centuries ago. The fashion for them began to spread from France, where the image of a stylized handshake with the signature "Union" served as a secret symbol of belonging to a criminal group. Soon similar images appeared in Germany, where members of organized crime marked the letters "T" and "L".Most researchers agree that the first tattoos made by Russian convicts had no semantic meaning. These were primitive drawings that were imitative and had no special symbolism. Apparently, such drawings were made for the sake of the process.

With the passage of time prison tattoos began to take on a more important meaning. They became meaningful because the prisoners who tattooed them put a specific meaning into each design. In this way the prison tattoo became a sign of "authority", emphasizing the leading position of the person wearing it among his inmates.Initially such tattoos were a great exoticism, the process of their application was associated with great health risks - unsanitary conditions, a high probability of amputation and sepsis. That is why any such tattoo was considered a sign of the offender's strong character and fearlessness.

Over time, tattoos acquired more and more meaning, became almost a secret language of symbols and began to reflect the status of the prisoner. This process took a long time, not finished even now. There are quite a few free-form drawings that are not always important. At the same time, there are images whose interpretation of meaning is unambiguous and their meaning is known to all prisoners, such as finger rings and a number of similar drawings.

Stars on the knees

This is one of the most famous "prison" tattoos. Its meaning is that I will never bend my knees to anyone, I will never be in subordination to the authorities.

This drawing is one of the distinguishing features of authorities in the world of criminals, such as thieves in the law. It is also made by some of those who are close to the elite of the criminal world or strive to join their ranks. It is believed that you can not apply such a picture just like that. It is necessary to earn the right to do such a tattoo. If a felon with a star on his lap comes to a new area, he is likely to be screened to see if his status allows him to wear stars on his lap.Often this type of tattoo is called a "denial star" or a "mayhem star. Accordingly, the bearers of the tattoo are referred to as troublemakers or deniers. Such prisoners are not allowed to come into contact with law enforcement officials.

If the owner of the stars is caught trying to get a parole or a pardon, he will lose his status, "dishonor" the tattoo and he will be forced to destroy it.

In the past, the one who disgraced a tattoo was forced to get rid of it in a barbaric way - to cut it off or burn it out. Nowadays such barbarism has become an extremely rare exception.

Is it worth to do such a tattoo

There are several reasons why the drawing of stars on the knees has become popular in the underworld. The most significant include:

1. The desire to assert oneself among the convicts.
2. The desire to imitate reputable criminals, to join their ranks.
3. Following the traditions to which the majority of the inmates obey.
4. Romanticization of the convicts' way of life.
5. A desire to identify one's affiliation with the criminal world, to emphasize one's uniqueness and superiority.

Outside of incarceration facilities, such tattoos are not popular and are done very rarely. This is due to the fact that the skin in the area of the knees is very rough and also mobile. As a result, complex drawings with high detail are severely distorted. In addition, the process of tattooing in this place will be extremely painful.The combination of these reasons makes the knees one of the least popular locations for tattoos. In addition, it is important to understand that if you put stars on your knees, there is a risk of encountering people involved in the criminal world who may require proof of status. If the average person cannot confirm that he or she is wearing the drawing by right - it can be fraught with health and life-threatening consequences.

What kind of drawings can be put on your lap

In the underworld, nothing but stars are painted on your lap. They can be variously stylized, such as the "polar star," a sign that the offender was serving a sentence above the Arctic Circle.

In ordinary life, tattoos are not often made in the knee area, usually images of animals, geometric patterns. Often the drawing is localized not only on the knee, occupies the entire front surface of the thigh or lower leg. But the stars on the knees of ordinary people apply very rarely.

Photo ideas of tattoos with stars on the knees