Compass tattoos have been used for millennia across a multitude of cultures. Sailors, fishermen, and naval officers often used to get compass tattoos for good luck, believing the tattoo would ensure smooth sailing and a safe return home. They would also paint compasses on their ships for the same reason. Sometimes their loved ones would do the same, in solidarity and to wish them safe travels. To this day, a compass tattoo can symbolize direction and guidance. Some designs incorporate the North Star, used by explorers on land and sea to guide them in the right direction. For this reason, compass tattoos are popular among adventurers, whether that’s on the land, on the sea, or in spirit. Compass tattoos can also symbolize “staying the course” symbolically, following your dreams and choosing the path that is right for you. It could also symbolize spiritual guidance or a “moral compass,” a reminder to do what you think is right.
