Plague Doctor Tattoo: Meaning and Origin

Nowadays, no one can be surprised by the presence of a tattoo on your body. However, there are certain tattoos that stand out from the rest. We can’t say for sure what exactly makes these images so special, but they delight some people and make others shudder with horror. Examples of such tattoos are images of death, skeletons, monsters and much more. Also here can be attributed the plague doctor's tattoo, which today is quite popular among young people.

Tattooing

History of occurrence

Due to certain historical obligations, the plague doctor's tattoo is quite common only in Europe. For the rest of the world, it carries no meaning. The thing is that the Middle Ages for large European cities were marked by a monstrous epidemic of bubonic plague, from which a huge number of people died every day. The level of development of the then medicine was so low that people could die from a common cold, not to mention anything about more serious diseases.

It was in those conditions that the plague doctors appeared. Their main responsibilities included cauterizing buboes and bleeding from infected people. Due to constant close contact with lepers, plague doctors were not allowed to contact a large number of people, which forced them to live in isolation.

Plague Doctor Costume

It is clear that such a dangerous job should have been accompanied by special clothing. Despite the fact that there were many options for such vestments, the only widely recognizable costume in our time is a long black cloak, a wide-brimmed hat, pants, gloves, boots and a special plague doctor mask. The most distinctive feature of the latter was the presence of a bird's beak, which was supposed to deter the disease from doctors.

Value

As you know, no tattoo is a simple image, since each of them has a certain meaning. The significance of the plague doctor's tattoo is largely determined by the above historical events. Before you paint the meaning itself, it is worth pointing out that the image can be found on the body of only very brave people who are not afraid to show others their special attitude to life. That is why such tattoos can be equally seen in both men and women.

So, there are two main options for the meaning of the plague doctor's tattoo:

  1. Fatalism. By applying this image to his body, a person emphasizes that he is completely in the grip of fate. Wherever the owner of such a tattoo directs his life, he will calmly go with the confidence that everything has been predetermined for a long time.
  2. The call of death. Since the plague doctors themselves were daily on the verge between life and death, it is believed that the presence of such a tattoo means that a person is not only not afraid of death, but also ready to challenge her.
Challenge death

In addition to the above, you need to understand that each person can interpret the meaning of the plague doctor tattoo for himself in different ways. After all, even one added detail can be of great importance.

Location and style

Since the image has an oblong shape, it is best to fill it on the thigh, forearm and shoulder. Moreover, these places are the most painless for tattooing. However, the image may also occur on the back. In this case, the tattoo looks more massive, but it will be painful to fill it.

As for the style of the tattoo, then realism is almost the only option. It is this style that allows you to achieve maximum image recognition. To do this, however, you need to find a very good professional master who can qualitatively apply the image to your body.

Plague Doctor Tattoo on the back

Separately, it is worth noting that neither the place nor the style of the image in any way affects the meaning of the plague doctor's tattoo.

Conclusion

Today you can find absolutely any tattoo, from the inscription on the toe to the image of death on the back. That is why the plague doctor's tattoo should not cause much surprise. However, it causes admiration and horror at the same time. The significance of the plague doctor’s tattoo is explained by historical events, which led to the appearance of the doctors themselves.


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