tattoos

[PLUNDERING PYLOS PARKER]

both arms-left arm is a caribbean map, a rackham jolly roger with flames, and a nude wench,and a skull with crossed queen anne pistols, left arm is geometric designs, tribal , with my mastiffs 3 mastiffs and background is the roman colliseum. both legs- left leg is a fur trapper, and my dogs wearing pirate hats, colonial scenes and a totem, right leg is a fur trapping scene, a really big black beard . chest is a- colonial /french and indian war trade tattoo, back will be a sloop and spanish galleon battling in the caribbean, soon to get., i will post pictures will be soon.

[Commodore Swab]

The difference between tattoos and scars . . .Scars are tatoos with better stories

[Bright]

Back story of me colors

The History and Traditions of Skull Art

Within the Military of the USA, our warriors have incorporated SKULL ART into a brand of brash, self - assured art work that is typical of the American spirit of the Frontier and High seas adventure which dates back to American colonial times.

Soldiers and Marines, Submariners and Sailors, Aviators and Pilots have created and continue to create and paint insignias often without official authorization, but part of a unit's esprit - de - corps.

Nowhere is skull art more prevalent than in the U.S. Special operations community and skull arts originals and lasting legacy to it, which this document will chiefly address. It is representative of the Esprit de Corps... Skull's brandished via patch or paper send a message right away, "death to our enemies and we fear not death," all in one tidy little package without any verbalization. It was understood universally - whether the fight is in on the High Seas of Early Colonial America; deep within Japanese occupied China or in the present day middle east.

Ironically it was the pre colonial American Privateers who first modified their privateer Ensigns from 13 stars and stripes (representing the 13 early 1700's American Colonies) to fly a Skull and Cross Bones Art for the Americas. A Privateer is a sailor with a "letter of marquee" from a government, which "allows" the sailor to plunder any ship of a given enemy nation. Technically a privateer was a self employed soldier of fortune paid only by what he plundered from an enemy and thus, supposed to be above being tried for piracy. Most often, privateers were a higher class of Sailor with either naval or maritime service under his belt and came from good families. Privateers include Buccaneers (originally a term for those privateers who fought against the Spanish, later a general term for pirates of the Atlantic, specifically the Caribbean. The Buccaneers were first hunters of pigs and cattle on the island of Hispaniola - and French Corsairs a term used for Christian and Muslim privateers in the Mediterranean between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Christian Corsairs were known as the Maltese corsairs and they took their orders from the Knights of St. John to attack the Turks and counter Barbary corsairs from North African states often "hired" by Muslim nations to attack Christian Corsair ships.

Early First evidence of Skull art Used by US forces commences as far back as 1692 with Colonial American Privateer Thomas Tew who was a licensed Privateers man from Rhode Island. His flag did not have a skull or even a bone, just an arm wielding a cutlass or scimitar. Tew like many privateers simply retained their old (Jolly Roger) symbols, although black became the favored color.

Sir Thomas Tew seemed to think it more polite to suggest violence in his flag rather than death, and took the image of the sword rather than skull or bones. The message however was no less clear regarding the fate of any who opposed his advance. The images on a pirate flag were designed to indicate a certain message. The skull was a sign of death, but a skeleton, often with horns, indicated a tormented death. A dart or spear was used to indicate a violent death in contrast to the bleeding heart denoting a slow and painful death. The hourglass gave a threat that time was running out or that capture was inevitable. A raised fist or hand clutching a dagger or cutlass was to indicate a general willingness to kill. This was the image Tew chose. In the event that a ship was particularly evasive, or a pirate was particularly brutal, a red flag was raised to indicate that no quarter would be given (no lives would be spared) once the ship was captured. Tew's Ensign though not with Skull art was as recognizable on the High Seas as any earlier or later Pirates "Jolly Roger."

Though most people knew that Tew was a pirate, little is known about him prior to 1692 when he arrived in Bermuda and purchased a share in the sloop "Amenity". From there, he got the additional owners of the sloop interested in taking on a privateering commission from Bermuda Governor Isaac Richier. Together with the Royal African Company, they were to attack the French factory at Goori, in Gambia. Tew and his crew instead chose to sail off to the Red Sea where they attacked an Indian ship which they found to be very profitable. Tew settled in Rhode Island, but eventually was lured back to piracy. For when the outlets for legitimate privateering dried up at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714, many privateers turned to piracy. He took command of a pirate ship and sailed off to the Red Sea. He was killed in June of 1695 while attacking a large ship belonging to the Great Mogul of India.

My black flag is that of U.S. Special operations community that rules the night not seen or heard as my flag or tattoo of my flag on my right shoulder is rarely seen as many special operations are not seen nor heard of. The Skull is "death to our enemies and we fear not death," all in one tidy little package without any verbalization. It is understood universally.

The crossed cutlasses behind the skull are the weapon of an operator that is silent and used as close quarters weapon know to be the choice of skilled operators, or ayes means privateers, as a tattoo you are marked for life and those colors never run and a form of permanent identification as well as a comment to a cause. Now, all my trade is ball and blade and blood forever more and the sting of salt and spray, the ocean’s howl and squall I’m a wretched soul, I'm a privateer, drowning out at sea I’m killing and I’m drinking my blue heart to black

[Silkie McDonough]

Related Thread

Here's my Sealkie. My own design based on traditional Irish Celtic Zoomorphs.

No pirate tat's

The difference between tattoos and scars . . .Scars are tatoos with better stories

Unless you know the story behind the tatoo.

[Jas. Hook]

Related Thread

Here's my Sealkie. My own design based on traditional Irish Celtic Zoomorphs.

The difference between tattoos and scars . . .Scars are tatoos with better stories

Unless you know the story behind the tatoo.

Silkie -

Nice work!

Jas. Hook

Edited January 16, 2011 by Jas. Hook

[Zingara Carmella]

Chinese dragon in the middle of my back (little memo from my days with the wrong asian crowd )

working on more "permanent decorations" .... but I always have one or two henna tattoos at any given time.

[AlexRoberts]

My tattoos are on my feet.

Blackfoot on my right And Roberts on the left.

[peglegstrick]

Bunch of old Harley tattoos......will have to wear long sleves!

[marlinspike]

Rooster on the front of one ankle, Pig on the front of the other. Was waiting to hit the 5000 N. Mile mark to get a sparrow/swallow, but... can't wait anymore - going for it this summer . Waiting to "Cross the LIne" before I get my sea turtle... that one I will NOT rush.

[CaptainB]

On me left arm -- Sword standin' as a Celtic Cross, with me family's motto in Latin above an' below.

On me back -- Mirrored Sparrows holdin' a memorial banner (LRH 1940-1989) in their beaks. (In honor of me grandpa, 20+ year in the US Navy, passed in 1989)

[James Smythe]

Left shoulder has a tribal wolf that I designed.

I am currently refining the design of my next.

The difference between tattoos and scars . . .Scars are tatoos with better stories

I have plenty of scars. Each with a story.