Rose Tattoos - A Meaning In Every Petal

Roses have always been associated with love and death. The ancient Greeks believed that the first rose was created when Chloris, the goddess of flowers, came upon a dying wood nymph and transformed her into a flower. Then the goddess of love, Aphrodite, gave the flower its beauty, and the god of wine, Dionysus, contributed an intoxicating fragrance. Beauty, love, intoxication, and death, all in one package; add thorns for a hint of sorrow and danger, and you have the perfect symbol of the human condition

So is it any wonder that the rose tattoo has, for both men and women, become one of the most widely requested of all tattoo designs? Not only is the rose loaded with symbolic meaning; its can be represented as anything from a single small bud or open bloom, or as a garland or bouquet of blossoms, and with or without thorns. It can have flowing ribbons with names of loved ones, tattooed in remembrance or as a pledge of eternal devotion.

One ancient Roman legend is that the god of silence, Harpocrates, happened to witness Venus, the goddess of love, engaging in an illicit sexual encounter. Venus' son Cupid, the god of love, bribed Harpocrates with a rose to guarantee his silence. The Romans took their myths seriously, and the ceilings of Roman banquet rooms were festooned with roses as a reminder to those reclining at the tables. What was revealed from wine-loosened lips of wine was heard "sub rosa," and would remain confidential.

A rose tattoo positioned in a very private place and known only to a lover can honor the tradition of the rose as a symbol of secrecy. But rose tattoos can also be worn visibly and proudly, as most men wear them, on the arm.

Even the color of a rose tattoo can add layers to its meaning; the Victorians actually had a "language" of flowers and by sending different varieties of blooms in different colors to those they admired could communicate symbolically all the romantic feelings their conventions would no let them say in person. Rose tattoos, alone or combined with other flowers, can communicate a very private message in a very public way.

While the most requested color for rose tattoos is red, signifying love, romance, courage, and beauty, the blue rose tattoo is gaining in popularity, and has an intriguing history. There are no naturally blue roses, and although research is ongoing to create one, the blue rose tattoo represents mystery and the quest to achieve the impossible. Some legends suggest that the blue rose can magically grant wishes or restore youth.

Rose tattoos, like the actual flowers, can beckon and entice, or hint of danger. Rose tattoos can suggest purity and innocence, or unbridled passion. Rose tattoos can be worn in remembrance of loved ones who have moved on or as pledges of undying love through all the years ahead.

A rose tattoo, in other words, can speak volumes about you, and all you need to do is tell your tattoo artist what you want yours to say!

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Rose Tattoos

Rose Tattoos

Not all rose tattoos are created equal. This one, as you can see, is a very large one that not only includes the entire plant but also includes a couple of butterflies. It is a well drawn image and well executed by the tattoo artist though I would certainly like it better if it had a little color to it. But don’t get me wrong I still like it and it certainly looks provocative going down the side of this girls body like it does.

This particular rose tattoo would seem to be one that wants to symbolize more than a simple ‘I love you’ like most single roses would. This one seems to want to stand for nature and freedom and a general celebration of life itself. Unlike other rose tattoos I have seen this one seems to be telling us what is stands for and what it is supposed to mean. I would be curious to ask the owner and see if that is it, but I would be surprised if my definition is not very close. But one never knows. A rose by any other name is still a rose, unless of course we’re talking about rose tattoos. That can be something quite different.

Rose Tattoos

Pretty much everybody knows that the red rose symbolizes love. If a man gives a girl a single red rose it is the same as saying I love you. And so rose tattoos can have that same effect. The only thing that occurs to me is how is one to tell who the person is saying it to? If this tattoo belongs to a girl, she’s going to tell her boyfriend its for him, but isn’t that what she is going to tell the next guy too? And of course, a guy might get a tattoo like this and have ten girls out there believing he got it for them, all at the same time. Maybe that’s why a red rose always has thorns. Because love doesn’t come cheap and there is always going to be some complications.

The truth is things don’t have to be that complicated although it always seems that love is at one time or another. The time of the rose and getting rose tattoos should be the time of love that is simple and pure and beautiful. A time with hearts that are over flowing with love and simply want to share that joy with their better half.