Because of their slow-and-steady approach to life, a snail tattoo could be a great choice to represent progress, persistence, and hard work to achieve your goals. A snail tattoo could also symbolize introspection and self-awareness, due to the inward spiral on a snail’s shell, or exploration and intuition, due to the snail’s antennae. Snail tattoos can also symbolize a phase or changing of life seasons. Aboriginal cultures likened the snail’s ability to hide itself in its shell to the waxing and waning of the moon. If you’re looking for a unique and unorthodox way to communicate the same idea, a snail tattoo could be the way to do it. Some varieties of snails produce a slime that can be used as a natural blue or purple dye. Because of the difficulty in extracting the slime, fabrics dyed with it were very expensive. This is why, to this day, certain shades of blue and purple are associated with wealth and royalty. If you choose to incorporate blue or purple ink, your tattoo could have the same connotations.
