The art of tattoos is as old as humanity so it’s no surprise that the techniques and tools have evolved. However, some artists are still inspired by ancient tattoo movements to create their designs. Although it has become a trend to see unusual machines, the story of DIY tattoo machines goes back many centuries. Scott Campbell is a tattoo artist that creates his own machines with recycled items.
The Russian Penitentiary System is one of the strictest ones in the world. Tattoos are absolutely forbidden. Still inmates have found ways to secretly create their own machines in order to get ink on their skin. Using recycled razor machine reels and the engines of some old toys, these prisoners have created their own tools to tattoo others. As for ink, they use a blend of ashes taken from burnt chewing gum and urine.
The reason why people in these prisons agree to get tattooed with these improvised materials is because it brings them respect and honor amongst their peers. Arkady Bronnikov, an expert on Russian tattoo iconography, has stated that life inside a prison is like going into a different world with its own rules and codes. Even the smallest design can convey very specific messages to those around. This is precisely why these tattoos are highly popular among Russian inmates. Here are the meanings of the most common prison tattoos, which happen to be also popular outside penitentiaries.
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Cathedrals
The style of the cathedral isn’t that important. The meaning of the tattoo depends on the structure of the building. For example, the number of towers or turrets represents the years of the inmate’s prison sentence.
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Snakes
Here the meaning is related to the area in which the tattoo is placed. The most common are snakes on the neck area, which means drug addiction.
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Demons
This is perhaps the easiest one to interpret. These designs clearly make an allusion to the hatred felt by inmates towards authority and the strict norms of these penitentiaries.
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Stars
Contrary to what we could think, the number of tattoos isn’t related to the rank of the inmate. Generally, the leaders of crime gangs don’t have as many tattoos as others. Most of the times they only have a couple of stars representing their authority. Just as with cathedrals, the points represent the years of their prison sentence.
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Military medals
Just like in the army, these designs are tattooed to award the inmates for their merits inside the prison. For instance, if the medal has a skull it means he murdered an undesired prisoner. Apart from that, if the medal has a peak, it means he is the leader of a mafia group.
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Virgin with baby Jesus
These tattoos can have many meanings, The obvious one is associated with the devotion to Christ’s mother. In terms of prison meanings, it can symbolize the loyalty to a specific gang or criminal group. It can also mean that the inmate was convicted when he was very young.
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Crosses
This symbol is generally tattooed on the chests of thieves. It’s a symbol worn only by those who haven’t betrayed their peers, which means that this person’s loyalty is incorruptible.
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We know that you’ll probably never set foot in a Russian prison. However, knowing the meaning behind these designs can prevent you from making a bad decision. Although some people get tattoos because they’re fashionable, there are still many who get designs that say something about themselves. Don’t be like the first type. Do some research and find out the meaning of that design you love so much.
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Sources:
Videiso
Tattoo Criminal Ruso
Vice
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Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
