The Chinese Zodiac makes no distinction between the pig and the boar - the former having been domesticated from the wild boar some ten thousand years ago. In the West, the term boar is usually used to refer to the wild pigs of the forest. Technically, "Boar" denotes an adult, uncastrated male of certain species, including the domestic pig. The wild variety is swift, nocturnal, omnivorous, and sports a razor sharp set of sharp tusks. Wild boars can weigh 440 lb (200 kg), and reach 6 feet (1.8 m) in length.
As a symbol, the pig takes on distinctively different meanings in its natural wild state and as a domesticated farm animal. This duality of meaning, as both wild and "tame", is often used to reflect on man's nature.
In ancient Greece, the wild boar's ferocity, strength and destructiveness ensured its place in their mythology as a worthy opponent of hunters and heroes. Artemis, the goddess of the hunt - Diana in Roman myth - was linked with the boar and the animal symbolized her aptitude for violent retribution. Legend says the boar had breath that could set fire to leaves. Muscular, bristly, and fierce, the boar's image found its way onto Greek coins, gems, vases, and reliefs.
See also: Pig Tattoo Designs, Animal Tattoo Index
