TATTOO DESIGNS & SYMBOLS - PEACOCK TATTOOS
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Peacocks
Peacock Tattoos -
Peacocks, and the colourful and flamboyant feathers (see Feathers)
prominently featured in the extravagant tail display of the male
Peacock have often been featured in tattoos, particularly those with
an Asian or Far Eastern theme. We have all heard the expression,
“Proud as a Peacock.” The expression was first used by Chaucer in
the 14th century and still works today. Pride, vanity and strutting
arrogance, those are the qualities we immediately attribute to the
handsome Peacock. But its astonishing beauty -- especially its
magnificent plumage -- has gained it a symbolic presence in temples,
royal gardens, and even at the gates of Paradise, according to one
Muslim legend.
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The Peacock is known as ‘the bird of 100 eyes’, due to the
patterning in its tail feathers. The ‘eyes’ became a favourite
mythic metaphor as all-seeing witnesses to hidden transgressions.
The concept found its way into religious belief as the symbol of
beatific vision. In the ancient myths of Egypt, Greece, and Rome,
the Peacock feather was a symbol of the ‘evil eye’, and even today
the Peacock feather is viewed with suspicion and kept out of the
house in some parts of Europe. |
The first Peacock (the male of the Peafowl species) strutted about
in the jungles of Southwest Asia and found its way eventually to the
four corners of the world. It is the symbol of India, and thousands
of Peacocks can still be found in Indian temples, perhaps because
they are said to be great snake-slayers. Reputed to be immune to
snake bites, its venom-rich blood was believed to chase away evil
spirits. The god, Krishna wore peacock feathers in his hair and
legend tells of the sons of Shiva riding on the back of the Peacock.
In early Christian times, Peacock flesh was believed to be
incorruptible. This, together with its eyes symbolizing the
all-seeing Church, elevated the Peacock to sacred emblem status,
representing resurrection, immortality, and the pure soul.
Uncountable stories attest to its popularity with divinity, royalty,
and the military. The Greek goddess Hera (a.k.a. Juno) is said to
have plucked the hundred eyes from the giant Argus while he slept,
then placed them in the tails of her temple Peacocks. Sufi legend
describes the creation of all living creatures from droplets of
sweat from the body of the Peacock. In China, the Peacock
represented divinity, rank, power and beauty. It was also reckoned
that a woman could get pregnant if a Peacock glanced at her!
Throughout the world, the beauty of the Peacock has adorned the
heads of royalty from Lord Krishna to Queen Marie Antoinette. It
became a favourite bird on the coats of arms of some of the great
houses of Europe. During the days of chivalry, to ‘swear on the
peacock’ was considered a solemn oath.
Justifiably proud as the Peacock is of its prismatic beauty, an
accidental glance at its own extremely ugly feet sends this angel of
a bird shrieking like a devil!
Peacock Tattoo
design ideas at Tattoo Johnny
Tattoo designs - P >>
Peacocks
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