The fashion for decorating your body with tattoos today has spread to all walks of life, while before it was an advantage for people in the criminal world or the world of prisoners. This article will cover the topic "Prison Tattoos and Their Importance."
A bit of history
It is worth saying a few words about the world of prisoners and their foundations. So, in Russia, this is actually the second power, which, of course, is an anti-system, an adversary of the country's current managers. It will seem interesting that such a balance of things exists only in two other countries - Papua New Guinea and South Africa. As for Russia, this dates back to the 18th century, when the criminal hierarchy was formed in response to the restoration of the Prussian bureaucratic system. So, in order to be different and have their own designations, the thieves and the criminal world came up with their own language, which was borrowed partly from small merchants - ofen, and partly from the Jews, who at that time were also an oppressed people. Well and, of course, a place in the criminal hierarchy of any prisoner is determined by his tattoo.
Types of tattoos
Studying prison tattoos and their meaning, it is worth saying that they are all divided into three main types. The first: regal drawings that distinguish a person from the highest levels of the prison hierarchy. It is worth saying that not everyone can apply tattoos on the zone. Such an honor must be earned, or it will be a forced drawing. The second type is the footbags. These are drawings that were made independently by prisoners from various means at hand, self-taught and not by specialized craftsmen. And the third type of tattoo: an impudent person who was stuffed as a certain shameful sign to a prisoner solely under duress. These are prisoners of the lowest hierarchy who are convicted under certain laws or who did not observe the foundations of the prison world.
Lettering
So, we consider the topic "prison tattoos and their meaning" further. First of all, I want to say that prisoners could fill themselves inscriptions of any type. But basically these are not complete phrases, but their shortened version, understandable only to the criminal world, which was deciphered by the main letters. As an example, you can see the words “HORN” on the body of the prisoners, which stands for the first letters of the letter: the state doomed the slaves forever, “CALL” - know thieves, they will teach very cool, “CAT” - the indigenous inhabitant of the prison or “BREAD” "- I will keep love forever. There are many such inscriptions, some of them may disappear due to their irrelevance (for example, inscriptions about the Soviet regime), new ones arise from time to time.
Legs
Prisoners can completely scribble their bodies. So, prison tattoos are often placed on the legs. The first pattern, which for many prisoners seems very important, is the stars on their knees, they are also customarily called "stars of lawlessness." Their variations are different, but the meaning is always the same: "I will never kneel before anyone." This is a freedom-loving tattoo, which convicts say that they are rebellious and independent, no matter what. However, not everyone will be able to fill this drawing; such an honor must be earned by “correct behavior” from the point of view of prisoners in places of deprivation of liberty. If a person has such a tattoo, but he gave a slack, they can simply cut it off with the skin from the knees of the guilty criminal. The prisoners were also very fond of sticking various chains and shackles on their feet, which meant that even if they were free, they still considered themselves prisoners. The image on the leg of a police officer’s shoulder strap pierced by a dagger meant “urine of cops”, but did not identify the prisoner according to his place in the hierarchical structure.
Arm & Shoulder Tattoos
It is also worth considering the importance of prison hand tattoos. So, the first of them is the epaulette, which is placed on the shoulders. They were worn by people who, according to thieves' laws, distinguished themselves well, this is a sign for certain services to the community. It is very difficult to deserve such a tattoo, however, it raised the prisoner to a certain level in the criminal hierarchy. Subclavian stars, which deciphered in two places, were also important: they could designate both a thief in law and a "denier", a person who opposes prison orders. Drawings in the form of beetles pickpockets were applied to the hands. You could also write the word "Bug", which meant "I wish successful thefts." Next, it is worth considering the importance of prison tattoos "spider", "cat with a key", "bat." The spider also designated a person from the world of thieves (sometimes a drug addict). If a spider crawls up its web, it means that a person will continue to steal, if it goes down, he “tied with theft”. House thieves painted cats with keys in their hands. Well, another symbol of the thief was Lenin, or rather his profile, which could be painted on his shoulder or on his chest. Everything proceeds from the decoding of the word: "Thief" - the Leader of the October Revolution. Night thieves painted bats on their bodies.
Rings
It is also important to consider the importance of prison finger tattoos, because these are special drawings by which you can determine the status of a person who was in prison. So, the most important drawings on the fingers are rings. Here there are a huge number of them, some of them may seem very similar to those who do not know, in fact, they distinguish people from completely different criminal castes. The drawings on the index finger of the right hand distinguish a thief-airborne thief who commits theft on the road, special drawings can tell how cruel he is and what methods he uses. So, for example, a black triangle indicates that a person is particularly cruel. Thieves in law, special criminals, repeat offenders put drawings on the middle fingers. People are respected in a criminal environment, leaders draw tattoos on their thumbs, this can also distinguish a specialist in some field or expert. A rhombus squared on the ring finger distinguishes the criminal of the lower layer, who is considered low for certain actions, can be forced into sodomy, that is, “omitted”. If a person is corrected, the rhombus can be hatched, which means that the person was punished under criminal laws. The letter “C” is forced on the middle finger to those persons who are commonly called “lenders, ” that is, those who cooperate with law enforcement agencies. For such a tattoo you can be severely punished not only in the zone, but already in the wild. In special schools, guys can apply themselves tattoos in the form of a rhombus, in the upper corner of which there is a dot, and from the bottom - a cross. This means authority among adolescents, one of the highest in the teenage hierarchy. This is not a complete list of tattoos on the fingers; there are a huge number of them for each member in the criminal environment and among prisoners.
Religion
Considering prison tattoos and their meaning, it is worth saying that very often prisoners apply drawings with religious meaning. So what do they mean? The Mother of God, applied mainly to the back or chest, can mean a guard against any evil, or that a person took the path of a criminal too early, even at a young age. The packed church on the body of the criminal is of great importance. So, the number of domes means the number of walkers per zone or the number of years spent in prison. Criminal authorities inflicted crucifixes of various sizes on their bodies, this distinguished the prisoner of the highest criminal hierarchy, and to deserve such a tattoo is a great honor. The bells themselves could also fill the bells. This meant that the person had served his full term in the zone, that is, “from call to call”. They could also draw monks who write. This meant a scribbler who could easily sprinkle any letter, or it meant a person who expertly works with sharp objects such as a razor or knife.
Points
Prison tattoos could also be extremely simple. So, dots stuffed on the body of a prisoner are of great importance. What could they mean? A five-point tattoo is very popular, four dots on the edges indicate the prison walls, and the fifth, in the center, the prisoner himself. They stuffed it mainly between the index and middle fingers, which meant that the person had visited the zone. Just three full points can mean a person who is happy to lead a criminal life and perceives himself as a gangster. If the person who stuffed such a tattoo is religious, it can mean the Holy Trinity.
A tear
Further examining the meaning of prison tattoos, one cannot but mention the tear applied to the area around the eye (however, this picture is mainly of European and American prisoners). It has several meanings. So, the first: a person received a sentence for breaking the law, that is, he simply got to places of detention. Second: the tear symbolizes the killer. If it is not painted over, this may mean an attempted murder or the fact that a friend died at the prisoner and this will be followed by reckoning.
About love
Many people find the prison meaning of the rose tattoo interesting. So, this is the ruined youth of the seated. And since it is a flower of love, it is therefore not difficult to guess what else a rose can mean. So, if it is painted next to the dagger, it means blood for treason. Shaggy thieves, that is, those who sit behind the rape, can just stuff on their hearts. Anyone who has vowed to avenge the scolded love will draw a heart pierced by one or two daggers.
Animals and birds
Very interesting is the prison meaning of the wolf tattoo. An abbreviation alone can tell what it means. "WOLF" - a thief is short of breath, a cop is a cap. It distinguishes people who hate the servants of order and are ready to deal with them at any time. If a prisoner stuffs a tiger on his body, it means that he is embittered at all, especially power. It can also distinguish a person who is very cruel and evil. The drawn cat is a symbol of thieves. If he also has a bow with him, this means that the person has sold himself to the cops, for which he can be punished from time to time by the inhabitants of the world of prisoners. The profile of a bull denotes a person who is a fighter and can speak in various fights on behalf of the main authority. Also, this picture distinguishes a cruel man, quickly enraged. What does the scorpion tattoo mean? Prison value has several different options. So, it can simply denote the zodiac sign, but this is its most harmless meaning. Such a tatuha can identify a former commando. If the claws of a scorpion are uncovered, it means that the person was a participant in the hostilities (which is welcomed in the zone). Scorpion is also stuffed by those who were in a solitary confinement. If a scorpion is painted under the gun, this means a person who participated in the hostilities in Chechnya.
