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| Source: darksuntattoo.deviantart.com |
Oftentimes it seems that Germanic Paganism and tattoos go well
together. Scholars tell us that the Germanic tribes of the
east (eg, first the Goths, then the Rus; both peoples said to have originated
in the general region of modern day Sweden) were partial to tattoos.* We know
from the mummified remains of Indo-Europeans buried in Siberia
in the 5th century BCE that ancient tattoos could be beautifully decorative and detailed.** Thus it is conceivable that some ancient and medieval
Germanic Pagans (from the east at least?) looked a bit like this fellow in the
picture on the right ->
It seems that these days most Germanic Pagan tattoos are either of Odin, Thor or Mjölnir. In my searches I came across very few tattoos of Germanic Goddesses or of any other Germanic Gods. Fittingly, animals in a Celtic-Viking design seem to be popular (though perhaps not always explicitly Pagan, unless they are ravens in pairs or Sleipnir), as are runic inscriptions and Yggdrasil, the world tree. Here follows the best of what I was able to find after countless hours of sifting through online images of Germanic Pagan tattoos.
It seems that these days most Germanic Pagan tattoos are either of Odin, Thor or Mjölnir. In my searches I came across very few tattoos of Germanic Goddesses or of any other Germanic Gods. Fittingly, animals in a Celtic-Viking design seem to be popular (though perhaps not always explicitly Pagan, unless they are ravens in pairs or Sleipnir), as are runic inscriptions and Yggdrasil, the world tree. Here follows the best of what I was able to find after countless hours of sifting through online images of Germanic Pagan tattoos.
Odin / Oden / Odino / Wodan / Woden / Wotan / Wodanaz
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| Source: fenix42.deviantart.com |
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| Source: skinandbone.dk |
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| Source: svasticross.blogspot.com |
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| Source: lvmenes.blogspot.com |
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| Source: tattoo-bewertung.de |
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| Source: uptowntattoo.com |
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| Source: tattoopins.com/346/odin-tattoo-pictures |
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| Source: tattoopins.com/342/odin-for-tattoos |
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| Source: romanpagan.blogspot.com (thanks to Scott) |
Odinist Women / Valkyries /
Valkyrier / Valkyrior / Walküren / Walkuren
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| Source: flickr.com/photos/hognell |
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| Source: gallery.freakportal.com |
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| Source: cattattoo.com |
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| Source: whipshader.com |
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| Source: ottomade.com |
Odin's Ravens / Huginn / Hugin / Muninn / Munin
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| Source: dailydoseoftattoos.com |
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| Source: tattooconventionsnow.com |
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| Source: tattoo-bewertung.de (note the triskele in the centre, associated with Celtic Paganism, but also more broadly with Paganism in general) |
Norns / Norner / Nomen
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| Source: violet-fire-tattoo.deviantart.com |
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| Source: flickr.com/photos/hognell |
Freyja / Freya / Freja / Frija
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| Source: tattoofairy.com |
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| Source: pinterest.com/jefffishburn/boar/ |
Tyr / Tiwaz / Tiw
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| Source: meatshop-tattoo.deviantart.com |
Thor / Tor / Thunor / Donar / Donner
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| Source: darksuntattoo.deviantart.com |
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| Source: darksuntattoo.deviantart.com |
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| Source: pinterest.com/pin/148055906473267956/ (based on album art for Amon Amarth) |
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| Source: romanpagan.blogspot.com (thanks to Scott) |
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| Source: artetattoo.com.br |
Mjöllnir / Mjölner / Mjølner
/ Mjølne / Thor's Hammer /
Tors Hammare
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| Source: skinandbonetattoo.blogspot.com |
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| Source: skinandbonetattoo.blogspot.com |
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| Source: tattoowise.com |
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| Source: sobie182.deviantart.com |
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| Source: maizy138.deviantart.com |
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| Source: psykopathm.deviantart.com |
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| Source: profile.ultimate-guitar.com/Firenze |
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| Source: webcontemporary.com |
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| Source: romanpagan.blogspot.com (thanks to Scott) |
Runic Inscriptions / Runes / Runor / Runealfabet / Runen
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| Source: loja.banner-link.com.br |
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| Source: meatshop-tattoo.deviantart.com |
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| Source: tattoodonkey.com |
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| Source: norsemyth.org |
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| Source: nirvanaoftime.deviantart.com |
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| Source: tattoo-bewertung.de |
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| Source: meatshop-tattoo.deviantart.com |
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| Source: meatshop-tattoo.deviantart.com |
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| Source: Valhalla's Glory (Facebook) |
Yggdrasil /
World Tree / Världsträdet / Weltenbaum
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| Source: arcanis-lupus.deviantart.com |
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| Source: faraaer.ro |
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| Source: flickr.com/photos/hognell |
Irminsul (the World Tree of the Saxons)
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| Source: checkoutmyink.com |
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| Source: 405th.com |
Triple Horns of Odin
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| Source: tattoopins.com/859/horns-of-odin-tattoo |
Icelandic Staves / Sigils / Aegishjalmur / Vegvisir / Helm of Awe
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| Source: tumblr.com/tagged/aegishjalmur |
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| Source: tumblr.com/tagged/aegishjalmur |
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| Source: tuttotattoo.com |
** siberiantimes.com; see below for an example of one of these tattoos:
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| 5th century BCE tattoo. Source: johnhawks.net |
See also my other posts on Germanic Heathenry including the posts hyperlinked below:
- Ancient Germanic Tattoos and Cannabis Use
- Fate in the Germanic Tradition
- Freyja – Love Goddess
- Freyr – Lord of Plenty
- Germanic Beliefs Regarding the Afterlife
- Germanic Divination – Runes
- The Germanic God and Gods of Fire (includes discussion on Thor, Loki and Sol/Sunna)
- Germanic Values – Advice from the Hávamál
- Odin – God of the Fearless
Written by M' Sentia Figula (aka Freki), find me at neo polytheist
Wow! Very informative. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteNo worries at all and thanks!:)
Deleteis there a Germanic pagan tattoo jesus on a crucifix
ReplyDeleteJesus on a crucifix is a decidedly Christian image so I can't really see how that could be Pagan. That said, I am aware of some Pagans including crucifixes on their shrines and the like so I guess anything goes.
ReplyDeleteMany Pagan Religions used crosses. Just pagan crosses different then the christian. Christian "religion" stolen and changed many symbols and stories from pagans and the cross is just one of them. Pagans used Equal Armed cross and some used the inverted cross and other variations. (So the inverted cross the original and in fact the christian is the inverted one.) But the hippie jew on a crucifix is definetely not a pagan image.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate you bblogging this
ReplyDelete