Butterfly Tattoo
300 butterfly and tribal butterfly designs

The butterfly is one of the most popular tattoo subjects and a very powerful symbol. Although its critics see it as short-lived and fickle (because it has a short life and flits from flower to flower), in art the butterfly symbolises the spirituality of the soul that can free itself of all things ugly, like the chrysalis it uses to transform itself from a caterpillar. It has since ancient times been linked with the Goddess of Regeneration, the symbol of death and resurrection, for ancient peoples such as the Greeks, Romans, Gallic and Irish Celts and from further afield, the Aztecs, the souls of the dead turned into butterflies. In Greek, the term psyché means spirit, human soul and butterfly. In the ancient Germanic script known as futhark, which was used by Nordic peoples, there is a rune that looks like a stylised butterfly, it is called dagaz or daeg meaning day and it is the Rune of Light.

If you dream about a butterfly it symbolises renewal. When we say that something is as light as a butterfly, we mean that it is as light as the reawakened spirit that breaks away from the past and flies off towards freedom and love of life.
In Japan, the lightness and grace of the butterfly make it a symbol for women and femininity, while two butterflies symbolise a happy marriage. For many cultures the butterfly is a wandering spirit and an unexpected messenger, the sight of one announces a death or a visit. In Mexico a red butterfly is painted onto the backs of the dead to ensure a safe journey to the afterlife. In the Sonora desert, butterflies are considered a superior presence, like a sort of guardian angel.
 

The symbolism of the butterfly is particularly striking for its amazing metamorphosis, representing rebirth and completion: from the egg comes a caterpillar, which becomes a chrysalis and then a splendid, awe-inspiring creature with large wings that is both ethereal and joyful. Some fantastical, legendary figures also have butterfly wings, like fairies and certain characters from ancient myths, such as the Greek Psyche and the beautiful Chinese bride Yuan k'o, the Immortal Gardener.

The butterflies and moths that populate our meadows, by day and by night, come under the lepidopter family of insects, which includes more than 150,000 known species from around the world, in temperate lands as well as tropical areas, the most inhospitable deserts and even places covered by permafrost. They have been defined as a masterpiece of nature and have always been a source of fascination for humans because of their colours, iridescent shimmer and incredible variety of wing patterns. Tattoos draw a wealth of inspiration from butterflies too: they are shown in every style and every culture.

The variegated designs on their wings, which have always captured the imagination of artists, are well suited to tribal interpretations. In fact the butterfly is one of the most popular tribal subjects and a typical example is the tribal butterfly tattooed with its wings open. The wing patterns can be recognised in many mirror image tribals and lots of new style tribals are inspired by their fantastic forms.

That's why, among the designs in this special edition, you'll find tribal butterflies and tribal designs that capture butterfly wings, all of which are magnificent, unique and different.