Dolphin Tattoos

Thursday 15th of January 2009 08:46:11 PM [Add To This Article]

Dolphins appear in many Greek and Roman myths, always helping humans. Dolphins were said to bring humans who were lost at sea back home or to save sailors from drowning. They were the messengers and errand runners of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. In Greece, killing a dolphin was considered the same as killing a human and punishable by death. The Hindus believed that dolphin heralded Ganga's, goddess of the Ganges River, descent from the heavens. She even sometimes rode a dolphin. Celts associated the dolphin with the healing power of water and Australian Aboriginal tribes claim to be direct descendants of dolphins. Amazonians even tell stories of local river dolphins taking human form and courting young girls.
Dolphin tattoos were very popular in the sixties and continue to be common today. Those who wear dolphin tattoos are inspired by the intelligence, resourcefulness, and protection that the gentle water mammals are known for.