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Tattoo designs - J >> Jaguar

Jaguar Tattoos - The jaguar is the largest and most ferocious cat of the Americas, pound for pound more fierce and dangerous than: the tiger, the lion or the leopard. The Jaguar is at the pinnacle of the food chain in the Americas. The Jaguar is fiercely independent and cunning and both males and females are very territorial. It is the only large cat that routinely hunts in the water and in both Meso and South America it was a potent symbol of prowess in either hunting or battle.

These cultures found it very significant that Jaguars came in two colour phases, yellow and black and believed that the yellow phase of the Jaguar pulled the sun across the day sky and that the black phase of the Jaguar pulled the moon across the night sky. It was also considered important that the jaguar was equally at home hunting either on land or in the water, at night or in open daylight.

The jaguar was often the symbol of shamans, individuals who could bridge the conscious and unconscious worlds, who had a special access to the afterlife and to the spirit world. Many thought the jaguar was a shape-shifter, or were-jaguar, able to transform itself at will. Many Mayan and Olmec Gods had prominent jaguar-like features and characteristics and the jaguar was considered to be a god of the underworld.

Get inspired by some great images and photos of this magnificent big cat in our Jaguar Inspiration Gallery

See also: Cat, Black Cat, Leopard, Lion, Panther

Choose your own jaguar tattoo design from Tattoo-Art.com. Find and buy the jaguar tattoo design that's perfect for you.

Jaguar / Panther Tattoo design ideas at Tattoo Johnny

Tattoo designs - J >> Jaguar

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