Aztec and Mayan Tattoos

A hot girl sporting a Mayan eagle tattoo under her neck and a hunk sporting an Aztec warrior on his bulging biceps were some of the images that fueled my quest to find out more about these enigmatic Aztec and Mayan tattoos. When I delved into Aztec and Mayan tattoo culture, I was mesmerized by the spirituality and the philosophy behind these great cultures. The Aztecs inhabited the land now known as Mexico in the 13th to 16th century, and were known to tattoo their bodies in honor of their Gods, as well as to rank warriors in their tribes. Mayans also used tattoos to depict their devotion to the polytheistic culture they followed. They had their own unique writing system, and the hieroglyphs made their way onto their bodies in the form of tattoos. There are many similarities between the Mayan and Aztec Gods and this is reflected in their tattoos.

Aztec Tattoos

Of the myriad images that can be tattooed onto ones body, Aztec tattoo art is one of the most popular forms. Aztec and Mayan art has fascinated generations, and today, finds itself on the bodies of people symbolizing their individual beliefs. Some of the Aztec and Mayan tattoos and their meanings that might interest you are:

Huitzilopochtli
The Aztec Sun God was a left-handed hummingbird and was known as the creator of the universe. The myth behind this Sun God is that he learned about his sister's plot to kill his mother and jumped out of his mother's womb to save her. He came out of the womb fully armed and killed his sister and his brothers and threw their heads in the sky. His sister's head became the moon and the heads of his brothers became the stars. This is how the universe began according to the Aztecs, and they revered this Sun God by tattooing different images on their body. The tattoo meanings of Aztec, Mayan tattoos and other similar tattoo designs have enthralled the population since ages.

Quetzalcoatl
This Serpent God known as Quetzalcoatl, literally means a serpent with feathers. He is accredited to being the God of weather, fertility and creativity. Quetzalcoatl is not the most powerful of the Aztec Gods but finds his way into their everyday life, thus gaining an important role in their culture.

Tezcatlipoca and The Eagle
The Tezcatlipoca was the Warrior God of the Aztecs and is associated with many powers like wind, hurricanes and war. This God is mostly depicted with a black and yellow stripe painted across his face and a snake for his right leg. This Aztec symbol is supposed to be a sign of afterlife. The Eagle is said to give strength to the warriors and is mostly depicted alongside the Tezcatlipoca. The eagle is a symbol of inner wisdom for the Mayans.

Mayan Tattoos

The Mayans thought that tattooing their body with the images of their Gods and the nature around them would bring them prosperity and inner peace. They also used tattoos to mark their enemies. It has been suggested that Mayans would mark thieves and enemies with facial tattoos.

Jaguar
The ancient Mayan religion considered the jaguar as a symbol of strength and domination. Mayans believed that the Jaguar God ruled the underworld at dusk. They also believed that the jaguar roamed the sky from east to west in the morning. The cycle of day and night were the domain of the jaguar.

Bat
A guardian of the underworld, the bat was know an 'zotz' and symbolized good and evil at the same time. It was seen as a symbol of power, as the bat ruled the darkness and was also used to mark enemies. They believed that the bat would destroy their enemies and guard them against evil.

Earth
Symbolic of the vastness and the steady shifting, the earth was a symbol of patience for the Mayans. They believed that if they tattooed their bodies with the earth sign they would have peace and prosperity.

Aztec and Mayan tattoos have been a source for people to reconnect with these ancient civilizations and reaffirm their faith in powers that they deem are greater than them. Mayan history and civilization is considered to have contributed the calendar and the writing system. The Aztec calendar is also a popular tribal tattoo. These tattoos are aesthetically pleasing with their geometrical designs and shapes.