Russian Mafia Tattoos - What They Mean

Tattoos are a unique symbolic language that is meant to code the information about the person having it. Their meanings are not disclosed to the uninitiated and are impossible to decode unless known at first hand. This language is highly socialized, and uses common symbols and words that initially have no criminal association or meaning: animals, churches, angels, etc. Traditional criminal tattoo set tells that the person belongs to the mafia inner circle, that he has a status in this world, and that he earned every tattoo he is wearing. Putting tattoos that are not earned and not deserved is severely punished in criminal society.

Criminal tattoos tell everything about the person wearing them: his biography, criminal "occupation", time spent in prison, social status, sexual preferences, plans for future, etc. As criminals are quite superstitious people, sometimes tattoos have guarding meaning. There are also special types of symbols that are tattooed by force in a violent and painful way as a punishment. Not only the symbol bears some meaning, but also the place where it is tattooed. For example, a crown tattooed on the chest means power and authority, while the same symbol on the back means humiliation. Every detail that is present or absent on the tattoo, is also meaningful.