Dragon Design Tattoos – Origins
It is no wonder that dragon design tattoos have been very popular. Books dating back hundreds of years make mention of these mythical beasts, so it should come as no surprise that people are wanting dragon tattoos. Where dragons first appeared as menacing, horrorfying beasts; they have now frequently have a softer look and ‘feel’ about them. Because of this transition in in the way dragons are thought of, no one should be shocked at the multitude of dragon design tattoos obtainable. With so many websits to look for them, let’s look into how the dragon came into being, and the best place to find dragon design tattoos.
Many believe that the dragon first showed up in Chinese totem poles as the various tribes emerged. Each piece of the dragon in Chinese design is taken from a different part of another creature…
- Horns of a deer
- Head of a camel
- Eyes of a demon
- Neck of a snake
- Stomach of a clam
- Scales of a carp fish
- Claws of an eagle
- Soles of a tiger
- Ears of a cow
The Chinese are not the only culture to have dragons in their legends; there are a number of Asian cultures who have dragons in their legends, those being Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. Each culture has their own individual take on what a dragon looks like. Dragon design tattoos are very in style in the far east, but have become more and more en vogue in the west in recent years.
The first westerner believed to get a dragon tattoo is King George V of England. As a young man in the British navy, George went to Japan and was fascinated with the culture, and even more so with the beautiful dragon tattoos he saw. Returning to England, he proudly sported a dragon tattoo. When he became king, and the public was able to see his tattoo, the status of Eastern tattoos increased tremendously.
In the last few years, dragons have been reintroduced into modern literature in fantasy novels and movies, and in so become more a creature in peoples’ minds. Books such as ‘Dragon Lance Chronicles’ and ‘Dragonriders of Pern’ to movies like ‘Harry Potter’ have dragons featured prominently in them and have spurred peoples imaginations; be they young or old. People who never would have thought about getting a tattoo are now getting dragon tattoos of every shape and size.
In deciding on a dragon design tattoo for yourself, you should really do some research to establish what precisely you desire in your dragon tattoo. Are you looking for something fierce? Or are you looking for something softer? Keep in mind that you can always take one part of a dragon and combine it with another to form a unique tattoo. Do you like the wings of one, the head of another, the tail of yet another? Presto! You have a dragon design tattoo like no one else. Keep in mind that a dragon tattoo always represents loyalty, protection, and strength, even if you chose a small, sleeping dragon tattoo!