Traditional Rose Tattoo

Rose is a perennial flowering shrub, which belongs to the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are more than 100 species in this family, and the characteristics of each one of them is different from the other. Some of the species belong to the group of erect shrubs, while there are others which are trailing or climbing plants. The most common characteristic are the sharp thorns on the stems. Rose is actually a native to Asia and a small number of species are native to Europe, North America, Africa, etc. Due to its beauty traditional, rose tattoos have gained maximum popularity among flower tattoos. The beauty of rose tattoos lies in the fact that each one of them can be made to be different, with the variety of colors available.

Traditional Rose Tattoo Meaning

A rose flower has been long valued for its beauty. The Goddess of Love, referred to as Aphrodite and Venus in the Greek and Roman cultures respectively, was symbolized with the rose. Amongst the early Christians, the five petals of the rose were identified with the five wounds of Jesus Christ. However, the leaders of the church were hesitant to adopt the symbol because it was also associated with the Roman excesses and pagan beliefs and rituals. With passage of time, the rose was adopted as a symbol of blood of Christian martyrs. Later, roses were also identified with Mother Mary.

Along with the above mentioned meanings attached to roses, they have also been a symbol of love and beauty. Universally, rose tattoos represent beauty, passion as well as romantic love. The typical red color has been long associated with blood as well as with life. Rose tattoos with thorns are said to remind the person that beauty does not surface in the absence of adversity and sacrifice.

Traditional Rose Tattoo Designs

Normally, single rose tattoos are made because they make a complete design in themselves. The other rose tattoo designs are roses embellished with leaves, long stems or thorns. At the same time, roses in different colors also have different meanings attached to them. Dark red roses stand for unconscious beauty, while red rose tattoos symbolize beauty, deep affection, love, respect, romance, and not to forget, life. Blue rose tattoos, on the other hand, stand for impossibility, whereas coral roses indicate desire. Yellow rose tattoos symbolize joy and friendship, white rose tattoos stand for reverence, innocence and purity, light pink rose tattoos symbolize sympathy, grace, gentility and admiration, orange rose tattoos symbolize enthusiasm and black rose tattoos symbolize death. Black rose tattoos can also be seen in a rebellious vein and it has been adopted by a number of anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups.

White rose bud tattoo designs are also becoming very popular these days. They are often made to celebrate the birth of a girl child. Rose tattoo designs are available in numerous shapes and sizes and they can be combined with other designs. The most common ones include butterfly tattoos, fairy tattoos, heart tattoos, etc. It can also be combined with Celtic tattoos, dagger, cross, etc. The other variation of rose tattoo design is to get a rose and barbed wire tattoo made on the chest, arms, chest, etc. If you are fond of tribal tattoos, then you may want to give tribal rose tattoos a thought. Compass rose tattoos are very popular among the sailors, so if you are a sailor, you may want to give it a thought.

The beauty of rose tattoos is that, they are not only popular among women, but also among men. There are a number of meanings attached to the number of roses put together and the color used as well. Some of the meanings associated are, single rose stands for 'I love you', and a thorn-less rose is looked at as 'love at first sight'. It is always good to conduct a thorough research to find the right tattoo design before getting your tattoo made. Talking to your tattoo artist can also prove to immensely helpful.