Greek Mythology Ink
Greek mythology is a rich tapestry of stories about gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters, and were an important part of ancient Greek culture and religion, and today, it continues to inspire art and literature, along with some amazing skin art.
With wild stories about Hercules, Aphrodite, Zeus along with many other Greek Gods, the lessons and legends are held as part of many cultures today, and many people show their appreciation with awesome tattoos.
But in ancient Greece, tattoos were long associated with bad behaviour and were usually placed on the hand or face to show society that the person was banned. So it’s fair to say that back then, nobody really wanted a tattoo, whereas today, artwork of Greek mythology is extremely popular.
Tattoo Styles
There are various styles available too, like 3D hyperrealist tattoos, which almost makes the tattoo looks like it’s jumping out of your skin. This effect is usually achieved through heavy shading and the use of white ink to balance out the heavy black, which in turn creates an illusionary effect. This style is reminiscent of the statues you see in many museums and in Greece, and often look so realistic that it appears you have a statue on your body. It’s meant to emphasise the beauty of Greek sculpture and the arts.
The other popular style is portrait tattoos, which is typically from the shoulders up for a Goddess and chest up for Gods and use just a touch of colour for helmets or crowns etc. As opposed to 3D portraits, these 2D representations of Greek mythology are still shaded but look more like an ink drawing on paper.
Other than elaborate headdresses or helmets, the deities’ heads are sometimes surrounded by windy clouds or lightning, creating a dramatic effect. The main meaning behind Greek mythology portrait tattoos is to try and capture the essence of that deity and adorn them with accessories that elicit the strength of their character.
The other popular style of Greek mythology tattoos is storytelling. Essentially, this style is a full-body or portrait of a hero from mythology or of the Greek deities that are surrounded by architecture, dramatic weather, or Greek symbols.
This type of tattoo, which is usually a full back piece or sleeve, may feature multiple figures arranged together, and isn’t about the foreground or the background, but more about the entire piece as a whole and its combining elements that tell a unique story related to Greek mythology.
With so many stories about gods and goddesses left behind, we have a wealth of knowledge with quite a few to choose from when it comes to getting a tattoo. Each one also represents an object, whether it be earthly or theoretical, which also carries a meaning for what that particular deity represents. And not only do these tattoos look wild and striking, they often symbolise something that’s happening in your life or happened in the past.
If anything, they also help to describe your own identity. And here’s just a few of the popular tattoos in Greek Mythology…
Athena Tattoos
Athena is the goddess of tactics and is often revered as the goddess of wisdom. Athena tattoos are for strong-willed, intelligent people who are leaders rather than followers. She is most often dressed as a servicewoman because she is a strong Goddess and possesses many powerful abilities. This is probably because Athena is the daughter of Zeus, the most powerful deity in Greek mythology.
A tattoo of Athena means that you value justice and aren’t concerned with trivial matters such as love. It’s a great choice for someone who doesn’t focus on vanity and would rather ignore society’s beauty standards.
Athena is also the Goddess of wisdom, so a tattoo of her often means that you pride yourself on your intelligence. And as Owls are one of the more traditional symbols of wisdom, she is often portrayed next to owls in a tattoo.
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is one of the more popular Goddesses, especially when it comes to tattoos. She is the complete opposite of Athena, and is the Goddess of love, lust and everything romantic. As she’s traditionally governed by emotion, Aphrodite is often depicted as a voluptuous and incredibly beautiful figure rising from a foaming sea.
These tattoos usually show her adorned in many jewels and a large headdress, which is not typical in Greek culture. It is almost certain that these adornments in her tattoo are meant to accent her token for beauty and attractiveness.
She is also usually positioned in a sensual pose with her shoulder peeking out behind her wind-blown hair. An Aphrodite tattoo also has a lot of meanings. It could symbolise that you love to love and everything having to do with romance, just as Aphrodite feels. Or it could mean that you simply want to emulate her beauty and have a gorgeous tattoo yourself.
Zeus
Now we get to the most powerful deity of all – Zeus! Zeus tattoos are a popular choice for fans of Greek tattoos because he’s such a strong leader. Not only is he the King of the Deities, but he also features in many mythological stories, and Therefore a tattoo of him may hold various meanings.
Zeus tattoos are often done in black and grey portrait style, but there are no rules against putting your own spin on it. Most of these tattoos feature a bright blue sky with thunderbolts, with Zeus often holding a thunderbolt in his hands.
Zeus always looks incredibly strong and has long waving hair blown in the storm that he is in complete control of. Most times Zeus’ eyes are stone-cold white too, revealing his all-knowingness as if he can see in every direction at once.
Above all, Zeus tattoos represent strength and power, with many getting it to inspire themselves to be more powerful or to show others how strong you are.
Apollo
Apollo is another important Greek deity and is a son of Zeus. In tattoos, he is often shown as a portrait with incredibly curly short hair. He is also depicted in a statuesque style with white and grey skin that mimics what you would see in a museum.
Tattoo artists often choose to get creative with Apollo’s hair and the wreath he sometimes wears on his head, while also using other statuesque items in the background of his portrait. Apollo is known for being a handsome and athletic man, so he is portrayed in tattoos as handsome and built. Apollo tattoos also represent the arts because he is the deity of music. The ancient Greeks believed that he was in control of the harmony of the world and that his music delivers its listeners from all pain. Therefore, this would be a great tattoo for a musician or artist who wants peace on Earth and to heal people with their work. He also represents prophecy because of certain mythological stories and was also known for teaching and nurturing children.
Poseidon
We definitely can’t overlook one of the most popular Deity’s when it comes to Greek Mythology tattoos, and that’s the famous Poseidon! Deity of the sea, he is often shown in colour with massive waves surrounding him.
His lengthy beard flows in the same direction as the ocean and his ABS tighten as the waves pound his chest. Sailors of yesteryear often got Poseidon tattoos as a symbol that they crossed the equator, or as a ‘thank you’ to the divinity for a safe journey. They can also represent a desire to be more in control of your emotions and to learn to flow like water.
These tattoos also denote bravery because of Poseidon’s great triumph over the sea. In fact, it is believed that a Poseidon tattoo is an incredible good luck charm because he has the power to master much of nature, especially calming the seas.
It’s the perfect tattoo for anyone who wants to get the better of their weakness and have luck on their side. They can also be a personal way to show your love for the ocean.
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