What is the significance of the tattoo swallow

According to a legend, the swallow tattoo is a time-honored design dating back hundreds of years, when crews sailed long distances across the ocean, usually 5,000 nautical miles, across the equator, a trip often fraught with difficulty, disease, starvation, and quite commonly, death. One sign that their travels were nearing their end was the appearance of swallows. Because these birds had never traveled far out to sea, they were aiming for the land meant to be near the end of the long voyage. This fact led many sailors to begin adopting the swallow tattoo motif, symbolizing hope and success in completing a long journey. As a follow up to this story, one tattoo depicts two swallows indicating a long journey (10,000 nautical miles or more) and one swallow tattooed with a dagger through its heart symbolizes the remembrance of a friend lost at sea.

Another legend suggests that because the swallows return to the same locations to mate and nest, the swallows will ensure that sailors return home safe and sound each year. A sailor would tattoo one swallow before setting out on a journey and at the end of their period of service, return to their home port for a second swallow tattoo. It is also said that if the sailor drowns, the swallow will carry his soul to heaven.

The swallow also expresses love, care and affection for family and friends, showing the loyalty of people who always return to them. The bird also represents freedom and hope.

Today, the symbol of the swallow can mean many different things. It is considered a staple of "British tradition" and "sailor Jerry Collins" style tattoos. The former sailor of the Royal Navy has a swallow tattooed on both wrists as a symbol of a successful voyage.

Swallow tattoos have played a special part in symbolizing the cultures of various worlds for thousands of years. Nowadays, these tattoos are still hugely popular today, often just for the fashion and cosmetic considerations of swallow art. However, these designs have a deeper personal meaning.

But all in all, swallow tattoo art conveys the meaning of being a symbol of a particular area of homecoming.

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