The lion tattoos have been a part of many cultures and civilizations like Africa, Middle East, India and even the Mediterranean. The king of the jungle once ruled the lands not only in Serengeti, but the southern lands of Europe. Lions are also a part of the art and mythology of the Chinese and Japanese.
The lion oozes royalty and the lion tattoo meanings in many cultures was a mark of royalty. This king of the beasts was considered as the 'King of Kings' in early Christianity. Thus, Jesus was represented by a lion and lion became a symbol of St. Mark. The king of the beasts is mentioned in the Bible many times and the 'dawning of the new age' is represented by the Lion laying with the lamb.
The lion is a symbol of authority, victory, fortitude, pride, strength, courage, justice, protection, fairness, cunning and a divine solar power. Thus, many lion tattoo designs look a lot like sun. The lion is also represented as one of the twelve zodiac signs, the Leo. Read more on zodiac tattoos.
Meaning of Lion Tattoos
There are many meanings of lion tattoos. People who opt for a lion tattoo want to gain strength in their lives. It is mostly to give out signals of power and authority. Do you want to know more about what do lion tattoos mean? Then let me explain it to you in a little more detail.
One of the meanings of lion tattoos has its basis in a fairy tale story of 'The Wizard of Oz'. The story has a character of a cowardly lion, who wanted courage all his life. Thus, those who are a bit scared in their lives and want something to boost their courage, the lion tattoo meaning will surely help them muster up some courage.
You may like to choose a sitting lion design, that is cool and regal in appearance. This lion tattoo means you are a person that is in charge of your strength and power. In order to gain respect, you do not need to show your teeth. A lion tattoo in attack pose, has a different meaning. This lion tattoos meaning gives out a signal that you won't shy away from standing up to yourself.
Lion tattoo meanings are also a way to represent your astrological sign of Leo. The Leo tattoo is a symbol of being a warm-hearted person, who is generous, loving and a bit bossy, little patronizing and a tad arrogant. In case of Christianity, the lion tattoos meaning becomes an icon of justice and power. In Buddhism, the meaning of lion tattoos symbolizes knowledge and wisdom. It is a representation of the Lion Throne known as Simhasana, the throne of wisdom. In Hinduism it represents Lord Krishna, due to its radiating energy and aura.
The Egyptians used the symbol of two lions sitting back-to-back to represent balance. The lion statues were placed outside many sacred places representing guardianship. Thus, the lion tattoos meaning hold true for the virtues of protection and security. The sword and lion are a symbol of power of Islam and one of the most popular designs in Persia.
This was all about the male lion, the king of the beasts. But, we should not overlook the tattoo designs that represent his better half, the lioness. The lioness is associated with the moon and in ancient Egypt, she was a symbol of maternity. The lioness was represented as the mother goddess that gave birth to all that exists. There is another legend among the many stories of King Arthur, that the lost city of Lyonesse or 'she-lion' lies just beyond the city of Cornwall.
You may like to read more on: The lion tattoos meanings basically represent might, awareness, immortality and bravery. It is a symbol of pride and courage. A royal crest design meaning of lion tattoo is to show royalty. The red lion is associated with the Christian knights of France during the crusades. Whatever is your reason behind lion tattoos meanings, it will also be a powerful weapon of expression through body art. Patiently and thoughtfully understand the basic meaning of lion tattoos and choose one that will truly represent your style and personality. You can just get the fierce head tattooed or go in for the mighty full body lion tattoo. A lion tattoo is not just a symbol of a jungle king, but a blue-blooded ruler.