Spider web tattoos have been seen throughout history, back to the ancient cultures of the Egyptians, but what does a spider web tattoo mean?
Spider web tattoos are often referred to as prison tattoos. The tattoo of a spider web may represent imprisonment and prison life.
The design is actually typically connected to negative references and meanings. What does the spider web tattoo actually mean then?
In the following paragraphs, we’ll discuss the meaning of this tattoo!
Origin of a Spider Web Tattoo
The origin of a spider web tattoo ain’t no sunshine and butterflies type of story. Its origins actually lie in the only place without sunshine—the prison.
One of the most common prison tattoos, along with the teardrop and three-dot designs, is the spider web tattoo. The elbows, which are one of the most painful places to get a tattoo, are where it is located.
In the late 1900s, spider web tattoos made their debut in the US prison systems. The presence of a cobweb tattoo on an inmate’s elbow back then indicated a lengthy prison term. Because it indicates that the inmate has been sitting around for so long that a spider made a web, the tattoo is frequently found on the elbow. Each ring also denotes the duration of imprisonment.
In the 1700s, white supremacy movements also had a connection with tattoos of spider webs. A member of a gang must kill a member of a minority in order to obtain one. They demonstrated their allegiance to the gang by doing that. Getting a spiderweb tattoo also meant you were a drug dealer or had murdered an enemy.
What Does a Spider Web Tattoo Mean?
One of the most criticized tattoos of the past and present is the spider web tattoo.
For the most part, it is linked to negative things, such as racism, incarceration, prison, murder, gangs, and violence.
The spider web tattoo, though, also has a lot of positive connotations. Learn more by continuing to read.
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Other Meanings of Spider Web Tattoo
There’s more to spider webs than just a prison tattoo. Below we are going to talk about their various meanings.
Sailor’s Ache for Home
There is a slim chance that someone who embarks on a sailing expedition will return home soon. Their home is the boat, and their yard is the endless sea.
The only way to kill time was to lean against the side of the boat and stare at the horizon, and since the time passed slowly, many sailors tattooed spider webs on their elbows to represent the wait. The sailors might have been leaning on the boat for a very long time if they had been. When you consider it, it’s pretty depressing.
But these spider web tattoos were nothing like the ones you saw in jails. They were created in the traditional American tattoo style, which American sailors invented. Even today, a lot of people get traditional spider web tattoos, usually to finish off a large piece of traditional body art, like a sleeve.
The Native American Spider-Woman
Have you heard about the myth of the Native American goddess Spider Woman? She basically ruled the Underworld alongside Tawa, the Sun God, and jointly created the Earth. As a further precaution for the infants, it was believed that the goddess would weave protective webs over the cradleboards.
The Dreamcatcher, which is hung over people’s beds to ward off evil spirits and bad dreams, is another Native American connection to spiderwebs. An overall protective symbol, a spiderweb tattoo may be considered.
Feeling Trapped in Hardship
What is a spiderweb’s primary function? — We all experience moments in life where we feel imprisoned, much like prey caught in a spiderweb.
People may feel trapped for many different reasons. Some people struggle with addiction, others are heavily indebted, and still others are mentally ill and experience anxiety and depression. In any case, there is hardly any way out due to the strength of the spiderweb. Because of this, a lot of people get a spider web tattoo to either represent their present or to serve as a reminder of past struggles.
The Web of Fate
The web of fate, which is most popular among bikers and biker gangs, makes our lives for us; we simply follow the web’s direction. We cannot change the fate of the web no matter how hard we try because our fates have already been decided.
The Web of Wyrd was a spiderweb tattoo that was exclusive to the Vikings. The Web of Wyrd is a representation of the past, present, and future, despite not having the appearance of a typical spiderweb. For the Vikings, it served as a timely reminder that the past has a lasting impact on both the present and the future.
Conclusion: What Does a Spider Web Tattoo Mean
Now you know about the meaning and symbolism spider web tattoos generally carry. Of course, you get to choose the final design for your tattoo, but doing your research and being well-informed are crucial.
For the rest of your life, a tattoo will be present on your body.
Therefore, if you get a tattoo that has a bad reputation, doing your research could save you from a lifetime of pain and tattoo cover-ups.
