Lily is a pretty popular motive for tattoos, mostly for women. The lily tattoo is primarily associated with the purity and integrity of the owner, but in fact, this symbol is deeper and more multifaceted. Professionals claim that this motive came to us from the depths of centuries, and in ancient times, was loved by many peoples.
The symbol of the lily in the Christian worldview
From ancient times, Christians associated this flower with the image of the Virgin. Purity, purity, innocence, tenderness, protection of the heavenly patroness - this is filled with the image of a lily for believing Christians. And despite the fact that in many faiths the very fact of applying tattoos on the skin is considered sinful, some believers choose lily tattoos as a personal amulet from earthly evils.
Pagan sign
In many pre-Christian cultures, the image of this flower was revered and loved. For example, the Greeks believed that lilies grew from the milk of the supreme goddess Hera. The Romans personified with lily the hope of returning home, success in business, deliverance from danger. In ancient Egypt, it symbolized fertility and women's health, so those who dreamed of having children had lily tattoos on their bodies. Residents of pre-Christian Northern Europe believed that elves lived in lilies; it enveloped the flower with a halo of mystery and mysticism. Such a sign for application to the skin could be chosen by people seeking to master secret knowledge, treasure seekers, fortunetellers. The Sumerians also associated this flower with fertility, wealth, and healthy offspring.
Heraldry
Some noble families of Byzantium put a lily on the family coat of arms. Much later in medieval France, a lily adorned the coat of arms of the Bourbons. The symbolism of the flower has not changed - as before, the lily symbolized purity, noble origin, high feelings.
Traditions of the East
In the centuries-old cultures of the Far Eastern countries, flowers have a special place. Of importance is not only the appearance, but also the color, size, degree of maturity. The most revered in the East is the lotus, and it was from time immemorial that it was endowed with all the symbolism that Europeans attributed to lilies. And on the arms he could be found much more often. But the lily itself was not left without attention. For example, a pink flower symbolizes tenderness and youth. Yellow is rebellion and pride. Orange can even be a symbol of hatred. A noble white lily is often chosen as a symbol of the death of a loved one. Dark lily flowers in the East symbolize passion.
Alternative meaning
Many fans of Dumas will easily remember what lily means. In some countries of medieval Europe, a tattoo or stamp depicting this flower was applied on the shoulders of harlots. The image of a lily was on Milady’s shoulder in a novel about three musketeers. Other literary sources contain fragmentary information about the fact that a lily could mean a woman's involvement in witchcraft, or about her passion for alchemy.
Lily Tattoo Today
You can not call a lily one of the most popular motifs for tattoos. But they use this image quite often in our time. Its original meaning has been preserved to this day, but, as a rule, everyone who decides to put a tattoo pattern on their body puts a special, personal, sometimes even hidden meaning from others into it. With the improvement of technology and the skill of tattooing, lily value can have a lot different from the generally accepted. It is performed in a wide variety of techniques, from tribal to surrealism. And those who want to emphasize their affectionate disposition, kind attitude to the world, benevolence and openness, often choose this flower.