please help with any info!

Sunday 15th of March 2009 01:36:20 PM [Add To This Article]

About ten years ago i had this cross tattoo done on my back,at the time the artist told me its origins were croatian but thats about all...  can anybody tell me any more detail about this design's origins and symbolism etc or recommend a site i can try to find out more?? i would like to have my back finished soon and would love to keep the overall design in the same vein so would be gratefull if i could research other designs from a similar backround.

Croation crosses generally originate with Croatian coats of arms for nobility as many as 1000 years ago. These highly stylized crosses sometimes appear to resemble some types of Celtic knotwork or the more simpler Viking interlace designs, but they more commonly tend to be sharper and more threatening, with multiple spikes protruding from each arm of the cross. You can get ideas for croatian cross tattoo designs by looking at the military medals that were and are awarded in Croatia for bravery and heroism. Particularly popular designs may include a coat of arms that is filled with red or black checkers in the center of the cross and backed by a multi-pointed star.

There are a variety of Orders of the Croatian cross as well. Each order has its own stylized Croatian cross. These crosses tend to be more ornate and less visually "aggressive" than the war medals. For example, the Croatian Order of the Plaited Cross has a four-armed interlace cross that appears almost more like a piece of Celtic knotwork than a cross at all.

If you wish to learn more about a tattooed image, please upload the image to the Tattoo Wiki and we will be happy to research the image for you.