It is easy to understand why angel tattoos are popular. After all, most societies and cultures have archetypes of guardians and supernatural beings that transcend above normal existence. Whether you are from Sub-Saharan Africa, Midwestern North America, or the Aboriginal people of Australia, angelic forms are recognized by almost everyone as positive and protective forces that guide the human race.
While angels have a universal positivity, different religions and cultures have different agreements on what angels look like. Some cultures also have more specific ideals of what angels specifically do. Even to atheists, angels represent the ethereal supernatural forces that give humanity a higher calling. Whether you are in the West or the East, anyone can recognize the benevolent context of angels and angel tattoos.
Angel tattoos are popular reminders of good bad verses, powerful weak verses. Angel tattoos are also powerful symbols of faith, hope, and love in a world lost to war, financial hardship, and crime. With such a universal context, where did the idea of angels start?
The most complex religion known to mankind began in ancient Egypt, where gods and demigods vied for heavenly power. Some of the demigods were the first archetypes of angels. These demigods did not have the omniscience of a full god, but they still had great power for good. The Egyptian demigods gave the ancient Egyptians a sense of connection to the great gods they worshipped.
Ancient Egyptian angels are usually depicted as animals. A fun angel tattoo could be an Egyptian cat or dog, with hieroglyphics and Egyptian styling. This angel tattoo could also have a lot of tribal elements to simplify the message. Egyptian angel tattoos are very unique and are strong symbols of unique qualities. They are not complicated like the angels of Christianity or most modern religions.
The best-known concept of an angel has its roots in Judaism and Christianity. The angels of Judaism and Christianity are divine messengers that interact between God and humanity. They are also divine agents of God’s will who help shape humanity into what God wants. Angels of the Judaic and Christian tradition lack free will, but have strong personalities and traits. For example, in an ancient biblical story, an angel stopped a man from killing his only child because it would drastically alter the path of the biblical story. Angel tattoos rooted in the Judaic or Christian tradition represent following one’s own destiny and having the faith to follow the voice of God. The angel tattoos of this tradition also represent guardianship and protective forces.
In Zoroastrianism, angels are animals that are sent to protect the vitality and life of creation. Angel tattoos rooted in Zoroastrianism represent a strong connection to the Earth and a strong hope for the future. Zoroastrian angel tattoos have strong roots in destiny. Another ancient religion from the Etruscans believed that angels were winged guardians sent to protect humans. An Etruscan-inspired design would look Roman and represent that you have someone looking out for you!
Hinduism believes that there are different classes and ranks of angels. Angels are worshiped for their good deeds and protection of humanity. As a result, there can be hundreds of angels watching over a single person to guide them through their karma. Hindu angels are beings surrounded by light. Hindu angel tattoos represent hope, gratitude, and acknowledgment of a guardian. Hindu angel tattoos also represent the belief in reincarnation and destiny.
Angels are used in so many different religions that you are sure to find a design that inspires you. Angel tattoos offer hope and a reminder in things bigger than ourselves.