Celtic Butterfly Tattoos

Getting a tattoo done is about giving oneself a distinct identity. There is a vast variety of designs in the enchanting domain of tattoo art, that can be done in myriad styles. Although, viewed popularly as a form of body art, tattoo lovers know that every design has a special meaning. It is this meaning that makes the one sporting a tattoo, stand out in the crowd. While Koi fish tattoo designs symbolize the perseverance of a koi fish, that is known for the travails that it undergoes, as it struggles with relentless persistence to swim upstream, butterfly tattoos signify transformation and rebirth. Apart from their symbolism, butterfly tattoo designs accrue popularity from the fact that they can be drawn in a number of styles. Celtic artwork, renowned for their beautiful knots, render Celtic butterfly tattoos surreal beauty. Due to their delicate grace, Celtic butterfly tattoos are one of the most popular tattoos for girls.

Butterflies in the Celtic Culture

Butterflies find a significant place in a number cultures. The transformation of an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly is what amazed ancient people. Among the Celtics, they find significance in the form of the legend of Etain, the beautiful fairy maiden. The beauty of Etain was renowned. It was so captivating that the Fairy king Midir was completely besotted by her charm. When the Fairy queen came to know of this, she was very jealous. She used her magic to turn Etain into a butterfly and brew up a storm to blow her far away from Midir. After seven years of flitting from one flower to another, Etain fell into the glass of wine of a mortal queen attending a banquet. Nine months later, Etain was born as the queen's beautiful daughter. Although, her identity had changed, the princess retained the Etain's beauty. When the princess grew up, she married the High King of Ireland. Midir recognized her as soon as he saw the princess. By defeating the King of Ireland in a game of chess, Midir kissed the princess who recognized Midir immediately. Midir used his magic to disguise both of them as swans and fled back to his kingdom.

This story highlights a number of beliefs of the Celtic people. The Celtics were a group of people with rich culture and strong association with nature. They regarded butterflies as signs of rebirth and transformation. They believed that butterflies were souls, that when eaten by a woman along with her food, would impregnate her.

Celtic Butterfly Tattoos

Butterfly tattoo designs are one of the most popular tattoo ideas for girls and the famous Celtic knotwork further enhances their beauty. The knots symbolize the continuity of life, that is represented by butterflies in the Celtic culture, first as the beautiful butterfly that emerges from the cocoon and secondly as the wandering soul that transforms into a new life when ingested by a mortal woman. Besides the symbolic relevance, Celtic knots can be easily used to attain the shape of a butterfly. To give a more elaborate look to the design, the outer lines are emboldened. One can wear a beautiful Celtic design tattoo that is emphasized by filling the knotworks with an array of colors. The wide spreading wings of a butterfly, gives a tattoo artist enough scope to fill up the space with a variety of Celtic patterns. Shamrocks, that occupy a central place in the Celtic culture, is often used in tattoo designs using Celtic knots. However, with a little twist, many artists add one more leaf to the shamrock image and use it as four wings of a butterfly.

Besides being a favorite feminine tattoo design, butterfly lower back tattoos are a rage with women. Apart from its association with femininity, the versatile butterfly tattoo designs allow them to blend seamlessly with the characteristics of Celtic artwork, to create stunning horizontally spread butterfly lower back tattoos.

So, tattoos now definitely seem more meaningful and mesmerizing. Don't they? But are you afraid of needles? In case, you are and yet you are enthralled by tattoos, there is no need to fret. With the availability of temporary butterfly tattoos in the form of henna tattoo designs and stick-on tattoos, sporting Celtic butterfly tattoo shouldn't appear as wishful thinking anymore.