Cattle or Livestock Brand tattoo designs are an interesting take on Monogram and Ambigram tattoos. Monograms are traditionally used by individuals and companies to create a distinctive and recognizable logo out of a unique combination of the initials of their name. The initials, usually two or more, are often over-lapped, reversed or arranged in a distinctive pattern. Ambigram tattoos go one step further and are optical illusions where the arrangements of letters can be viewed in more than one manner.
The origin of livestock branding goes back several thousand years. The ancient Egyptian, Greeks and Romans marked livestock - and slaves - with hot irons. Prisoners and criminals might also be branded with marks that identified their crimes.
And branding is about identification, a brand is a mark or symbol of identity. It was originally meant to convey ownership and was also meant to deter theft. Lost or stolen animals without brands were nearly impossible to identify.
Livestock brands, particularly when used for cattle and horses in the American western frontier evolved into a language all their own. To the uninitiated, a brand may look no more familiar that an Egyptian hieroglyphic, but with a little practice, a pattern soon emerges.
Below you will find a gallery of inspirational images that will help you in your quest of creating the perfect Branding tattoo.
Also Check out: Monograms, Ambigrams, Scripts & Scrolls, Numbers.
