The hidden meanings of 5 popular tattoos

Dating back thousands of years, tattoo art still remains a common means of expression. Over the centuries popular designs have evolved and taken on lives of their own, but in the process their story and meaning gets lost to time.

To educate people about the fascinating history of tattoos, The Tattoo Dictionary by Trent Aitken-Smith explores the meaning behind over 200 popular designs.

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Dom Carter

Dom Carter is a freelance writer who specialises in art and design. Formerly a staff writer for Creative Bloq, his work has also appeared on Creative Boom and in the pages of ImagineFX, Computer Arts, 3D World, and .net. He has been a D&AD New Blood judge, and has a particular interest in picture books.