What does a star tattoo mean: for men, girls, prison meaning. Thieves' stars tattoo: types, photos. What do the eight-pointed stars on prisoners’ shoulders mean? What does a star tattoo on shoulders and chest mean?

A permanent image applied to the surface of the skin using dyes is called a tattoo. The technique consists of a technical procedure by which dyes are injected under the skin with a metal needle. Today, special tattoo machines are used for this.

Not so long ago, the bearers of such signs were mainly people who had served time in prison. Images were applied to different parts of the body. They conformed to the strict prison hierarchy. It was forbidden to apply symbols that did not correspond to the status of the prisoner. One of the most popular was and is the “star” tattoo on the knees. What does this drawing mean? Now we will talk about this.

The meaning of tattoos on the zone

Any criminal tattoos must be earned. Whether it's an elite tattoo or a shameful one, it's often done for either an achievement inside prison or for shameful offenses. The latter, by the way, are often impaled by force, as a sign of shame for life, and the procedure itself is quite humiliating. A particularly sadistic method of such “justice” is to get a tattoo in a visible place, for example, on the neck or forehead.

Thief tattoo - a cat with a crowbar in his hands

Thieves tattoos can tell a lot about the fate and life of their owner. Each symbol or phrase printed on the zone has its own special meaning. Some of the tattoos are aimed at expressing protest or propaganda, most often anti-government, and some call for theft or murder. In any case, tattoos in the world of prisoners are not used just like that, as decoration; they always carry deep symbolism and a mysterious essence.

Thief tattoo in the form of armor on the shoulder

What does an eye tattoo on the stomach mean?

Eyes on the stomach

indicate the homosexuality of their owner (the penis becomes the “nose” on the depicted face).

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The meaning of a star tattoo on the shoulders: meaning, history, photos, sketches

Here you can read the most interesting facts about the meaning of star tattoos on the shoulders, get acquainted with the meaning, history, interpretation and examples of photos of finished drawings. More examples here:

• Photo of star tattoo on shoulders
• Sketches of star tattoos on shoulders

Interesting facts about the meaning and meaning of star tattoos on the shoulders

People have been fascinated by tattoos for thousands of years. Over such a period of time, this type of art has repeatedly changed the technique and style of drawing images. It is considered a kind of cipher that means a hidden sign for different groups of people, where they determine whether they are a friend or a stranger. A star tattoo on the shoulders is a secret sign. This body image is more suitable for prison tattoos, and is worn mainly by prisoners or criminals. In order to understand the meaning of this picture, it is necessary to take a closer look at it.

Ritual meaning of a star tattoo

A star tattoo cannot be applied at the request of a person. It must be earned, and this is explained:

• The authority enjoyed by the “criminal”
• Having certain merits
• Be an ardent opponent of the camp order and protest openly

And more detailed elements in the image reveal the person’s merits more specifically. The places where the stars are applied are the chest and shoulder. The number of rays can vary between 5-9. There are several options for applying a star to the body and each has its own meaning and significance. For example:

• when depicting a skull inside a star, the tattoo stands for “only shooting can save me.”
• And if lightning is depicted together with a star, this means “crush the garbage”
• The star, which also has a swastika on it, means “beat the communists”

Photo examples:

What do the number of rays mean?

• A star with five rays means harmony
• With seven rays, a star can have a magical meaning, since the seven itself has a magical meaning.
• A star with eight rays means prosperity
• Nine rays symbolize well-being and health

But the prison star tattoo on the shoulders has its own special meaning, which varies but, in general, can be understood.

Why did they do tattoos in prison?

In Soviet times, marks were registered on the bodies of criminals to identify them. Star tattoos on the shoulders were used to fear common people. But if they were found on the body, one could easily get arrested. But the criminals were not at all afraid of this risk; when they were imprisoned, they had special privileges thanks to these body images, which had their own significance and meaning.

How to get a tattoo in prison

In former times, tattooing was carried out in prisons using a needle and a substance containing soot. The soles of the boots were burned and a coloring pigment was obtained from there.

Then the soot was replaced with ink from ballpoint pens using a special stamp. The needles were stuck into this rubber stamp and, dipped in ink, a design was applied to the skin in a single motion.

And these days, special electric razors are used, and the needle is replaced with guitar strings.

Star tattoo in the ordinary world

Some celebrities, in order to attract special attention and extra popularity, resort to tattoos in the form of a star. But the meaning of such a tattoo differs from the prison interpretation. And you can easily wear such a pattern on your body and a business suit, without any problems.

And ordinary people choose such tattoos for themselves in order to attract popularity and chic into their lives.

Watch the video:

You can see:

SKETCH OF A STAR TATTOO ON THE SHOULDER

PHOTO OF STAR TATTOO ON SHOULDER

Prepared by: adelina07 (T. Irina Mukhamedovna)

Criminal tattoo

In Europe, tattooing became widespread in the 18th century after the voyage of James Cook. He spoke in his reports about the inhabitants of Oceania, who applied drawings to their bodies using needles and special piments. From this period begins the era of tattoos in the Old World.

One of the directions of such drawings has become a criminal tattoo. Tattoos such as stars on the shoulders have the meaning of a person’s special rank in his environment. This is a kind of identity passport that speaks of status.

If you know how to decipher such signs, you can learn quite a lot about a person - from his origin and life path, to habits, inclinations and beliefs. This number also includes the stars on the shoulders. Tattoos, the meaning of which helps to understand the character of a person, have always aroused interest among the uninitiated.

What kind of stars are there?

“Thief Star”, as a rule, is a paired tattoo. Two identical figures are located symmetrically on the body. So the stars are depicted in pairs on the shoulders, under the collarbone or on the knees.

“Thief Stars” is one of the few tattoos that is not accompanied by any inscriptions. They simply do not need them, since all knowledgeable people already know the meaning of each of them. However, often in the center of the star you can see images of other symbols, various objects, animals, and even portraits of historical figures.

Thus, the most common eight-pointed star, each ray of which is divided into white and black halves, means “Crush the activists!” By the way, black symbolizes the thieves, and white symbolizes the human. These colors, in turn, indicate that the thief “sows thieves’ and human things in freedom and in prison” and lives according to certain rules. The star with the image of a wolf should be “read” as “Man is a wolf to man.” And a cat's face can be a symbol of a pickpocket.

Criminal tattoo

In Europe, tattooing became widespread in the 18th century after the travel of James Cook. He told his reports about the inhabitants of Oceania, who made drawings on their bodies using needles and special pimentos. From this period begins the era of the Old World of tattoos.

One of the trends in such designs was the criminal tattoo. Such tattoos, stars like on the shoulders, have the meaning of a special person of rank in his environment. This is a kind of personality passport that speaks of status.

If you know how to decipher such signs, you can learn a lot about a person - from his origin and life habits, to his path, inclinations and beliefs. The stars on the shoulders belong to this number. Tattoos, the meaning of which helps to understand the character of a person, have always aroused the interest of the uninitiated.

What do tattoos in the form of stars on the shoulders mean for those who served time behind crosses???

Isok

“Tattoos of authoritative criminals in the form of “epaulets” and “epaulets” can, without a doubt, be considered classic camp tattoos, reflecting the “suit”, services to the thieves’ community and the beliefs of their owner. These tattoos, with rare exceptions, are worn by the “elite” of the criminal world. Only thieves in law, “authorities”, “winged” criminals (especially dangerous, daring and merciless), “fighters” of the zone, “watchers”, as well as convicts belonging to the category of “irreconcilable deniers”, that is, have the right to wear them. criminals who opposed themselves to the camp regime and the administration of correctional institutions. All of them served the required time to obtain the “right to wear shoulder straps” in BURs (high-security barracks) and punishment cells. “Epaulettes” and “epaulettes” can be different in appearance and character of the image - it all depends on the imagination and talent of the camp “ringer”. They can also be accompanied by slogans such as: “I am a thief”, “I will not change the law of thieves”, “Tiger of the zone”, “I live one day at a time”, “May God forgive me my sins” and others. Quite rarely, but among the so-called “epaulets” of criminals one can find images of a nationalist nature, such as, for example, “clean shoulder straps,” meaning “White Guard,” as well as “Better death than the dishonor of a thief in law.” As for the so-called fascist signs on “epaulettes” (images of skulls, swastikas, SS runes and other symbols of the Third Reich), then, contrary to popular belief, these tattoos in a criminal context are by no means a confirmation that their owners belong to home-grown “Nazis” or skinheads. Criminals with tattoos in the form of “Iron Crosses”, eagles with swastikas in their claws and portraits of Hitler most often belong to the category of “irreconcilable deniers” - prisoners who are ready to accept any punishment and even death, but not enter into any relationship with the administration zones, SVP (internal order sections), “activists” and “press workers”. I would like to remind you once again that only the most authoritative convicts, who have vowed never to take the path of reform, have the right to wear thieves’ “epaulettes” and “epaulets” in the zone. Any criminal who dares to arbitrarily attach himself to “people in uniform” who are honored and respected in the criminal world will face serious punishment, including the destruction of these tattoos along with a piece of skin on their shoulders” (c). Full article here Image of shoulder straps and stars (variations) Here are more shoulder straps

New Arrow tattoo: what the symbol means for men and girls

What does an epaulette tattoo on the left shoulder mean - specific features of the design

Practitioners recommend caution when tattooing an epaulette on the left or right shoulder, because such a tattoo is closely associated with the criminal world. From the point of view of magic, the negative meaning of a thief's image can affect the owner, even if the latter has not previously broken the law

Both men and women can get a tattoo, but only if they are confident in their own strength and only want to strengthen their own leadership qualities.

The magical meaning of the image applied to the skin varies depending on the additional elements, so they should be given special attention

Appearance

It is believed that shoulder straps are the most controversial prison tattoo, since, on the one hand, it is very popular among criminal thieves, and on the other, it represents the military, and this contradicts the concepts of prisoners.

The tattoo represents the shoulder insignia that is used to denote military ranks. Most often, symmetrical images are applied to both hands, but if only one is chosen, then preference, according to tradition, is given to the left.

Considering the prison roots of the tattoo, most of the images are made in the style of realism, less often - old school. The color most often used is black, since bright shades are less popular among thieves.

Guys and girls who are not related to the criminal world do not limit themselves in styles and often remake shoulder straps, adding various images - skulls, faces, splashes of blood, grinning muzzles of animals and even runic signs of the elder Futhark or symbols from the Slavic alphabet. However, the preferred color scheme is black. The most common styles for performing colorful tattoos include the following:

• trash polka;
• new school;
• ethnicity;
• Chicano.

What is the point of additional elements of the shoulder strap tattoo?

When choosing additional elements for a tattoo, you should pay attention to their meaning in the prison world. Practitioners advise when choosing a sketch to focus not only on the magical meaning of the symbol, but also take into account the specifics of prison concepts

When choosing a sketch, practitioners advise focusing not only on the magical meaning of the symbol, but also taking into account the specifics of prison concepts.

The shoulder strap tattoo is closely associated with the criminal world and, unlike other images that have ceased to be perceived as “prisoner’s”, is still relevant among a certain contingent.

The table shows the main designs that complement the epaulette tattoo on the shoulders:

The magical meaning of epaulette tattoos

The drawing can cause aggression in its owner and even conflicts with law enforcement agencies.

Many practitioners do not recommend imprinting epaulettes with images, because long-term use in the prison world has left a negative energetic imprint.

Belief in the certain meaning of the shoulder strap tattoo has changed the meaning, and therefore such a sketch can make a person overly aggressive, provoke illegal actions and conflicts with law enforcement agencies.

Considering that only criminals who are in a maximum security prison and violate the rules receive such a tattoo, it is possible that they even end up in a criminal company. It is especially not recommended to have an epaulette on the left shoulder of people who are easily influenced.

The tattoo is equally suitable for both sexes, and there are no preferences for zodiac signs.

In addition to the negative prison meaning, the shoulder strap also means pronounced qualities of a born leader and great willpower. The owner of a tattoo becomes more ambitious, copes with complexes and fears, and even more quickly earns authority among his subordinates. An epaulette tattoo would be useful for people holding leadership positions or aspiring to them.

Prison tattoos and their meaning

If we consider this type of prison tattoos, such as images of birds, then the most common tattoos are in the form of an eagle, an owl and other recognizable symbols. Occasionally you can meet people whose forearms are decorated with the silhouette of a bird such as an oriole. However, in this case, the image does not carry any additional semantic load and simply implies the image of a bird.

A tattoo of a flying bird, the background of which is an image of palm trees and the sun, is a symbol of thieves' luck. For a long time and to this day, it is most often used by criminal authorities.

A tattoo in the form of a seagull against the background of a shield with a stripe is a symbol of friendship before a criminal record. As a rule, it is pricked on the forearm or hand.

The crane signifies the highest justice, righteousness, mercy and fairness. There is another interpretation of this symbol - in some cases it is an allegorical image of longevity.

The eagle is undoubtedly the most popular and significant type of crime tattoo. Symbolizes greatness, royalty and fortitude, and also personifies the fire and air elements. The heroic bird, which fearlessly soars to the skies, is often associated with fire and thunder and reflects the so-called “rhythm of heroic nobility.” Such a tattoo, among other things, reflects the belligerence of its owner.

Sketch of a criminal eagle tattoo

The eagle is as regal among birds as the lion is among animals. In order to reflect their equal status, the eagle in tattoos is depicted with a lion's head. This once again emphasizes the high status of the one who wears such an image on his body.

A tattoo of an eagle on a mountain top symbolizes power and freedom. It is understood that only camp authorities can wear it. But the image of a soaring eagle with a suitcase, applied to the chest, means that the criminal is inclined to escape from prison.

People who have a tattoo of an owl on their bodies are considered pessimists, often thinking about the frailty of existence and the end of the world. This is due to the fact that the owl is a symbol of evil, darkness and death.

Thus, many tattoos have a double meaning, therefore, you should be especially careful when choosing them so as not to unwittingly find yourself in a sticky situation.

Timati disgraced himself with his AUE suit: Show Business: VladTime

Star rapper Timati disgraced the whole country by wearing a denim jacket with “thieves’” tattoos. The hip-hop performer does not even suspect what “insignia” he has “attached” to himself.

After all, the star doesn’t even know what stars he “stuffed” on his jacket. There are quite a lot of different tattoos on the denim jacket, but the drawings on the shoulders of the Black Star rapper raised the most questions.

Many commentators thought that Timati had completely gone crazy because he put on the insignia of a caste to which he does not belong, and besides, he tried to show himself as a “thieve,” but in fact he only made millions of Internet users laugh.

This is not the first time that the “star with the stars” praises thieves’ concepts and shows his partial attitude towards everything “thieves” - the rapper has already read in his track that “the zone loves Timati.”

“They can pull him up for a tight jacket,” “Timati the clown disgraced himself with his AUE costume,” “The songs are moronic, and so is the style,” “explain for the stars, rappers!” — Internet users expressed their opinion.

Sergey Skeptic

The meaning of star tattoos on knees

In this article we will analyze the meaning of star tattoos on knees, the meaning and history of this mostly criminal tattoo. For those who need to get acquainted with drawings and examples in large quantities, we offer the following sections of our catalog:

• Photo of star tattoo on knees
• Sketches of star tattoos on knees

The meaning of star tattoos on knees – information on the topic and photo examples of tattoos

Meaning, history and meaning of star tattoos on knees

Today, tattoos on the body are gaining popularity. You can meet a tattooed person of almost any age category, from a young age to old age.

Star Tattoo

Perhaps the most common and famous tattoo among all the variety is the image of a star. It is pricked anywhere on the body, and among ordinary people it is purely artistic and decorative, but in the prison world it carries a much greater meaning, indicating a place in the hierarchy among prisoners.

Before you make such an image on your body, you should be extremely careful and judicious in choosing the location and sketch of the star. First, you should inquire about the details of the impaling of “prison” stars. Otherwise, if you have to communicate with law enforcement agencies or, for example, doctors, an incorrectly chosen tattoo can turn circumstances against you.

"Stars" on their knees

The tattoo of a “star” on the knees is mainly done by thieves in law, thieves’ authorities and those prisoners who are convinced that they deserve such titles.

The star that is tattooed on the knee can be of different colors (red, black and blue) and different variations:

• six-pointed;
• eight-pointed;
• ten-pointed;
• twelve-pointed;
• Polar Star;
• Rose of Wind.

Examples of photos:

In any case, any of these knee tattoos in the underworld indicate that the person belongs to his elite group. Undoubtedly, in order to get such an image, you must first earn it. And if a tattooed prisoner is sent to another place, he will be required to undergo various tests confirming the status of kneeling stars.

Star tattoos on the knees, the meaning of which can be dangerous for ordinary people, are called the “star of lawlessness” or “star of denial” in the prison world. The bearers of these tattoos are deniers and lawbreakers of the zone. Such people should under no circumstances contact law enforcement authorities and ask for amnesty and conditional early release. In case of violation of the laws of the zone, the owner of such a tattoo will disgrace it and will be forced to get rid of it.

New Clock tattoo: the meaning of the dial for men and girls

The meaning of the stars on your knees

The meaning of such a “prisoner” tattoo is negative. This person may be a rapist, a robber, or a violent criminal. Such people do not want to work or do any other work in places of detention, while inciting other criminals to commit riots, and turn everyone against the guards. Their motto says that they will not obey anyone and kneel.

In the modern world, there are still people who, in no way related to the world of crime, get such tattoos. In their case, the printed image signifies disobedience to authority, dissatisfaction with it and some kind of contempt for the entire government. This can be called a kind of protest expressed in this form.

Video:

However, even if you protest and ardently desire to stuff a star on your knees, it is strictly not recommended to do this. Because if they are accidentally seen by a person who lives “by prison standards,” you will face huge problems, including the deprivation of tattoos along with your skin. Yes, and besides, applying them is an extremely painful process, with a long healing period due to constant bending of the knee. And it’s also impossible to achieve perfect paint application, since the skin in these places is rough.

If you really want, you can get a star tattoo, for example, on your forearm or shoulder blade.

Prepared by: Zaitseva Irina Rafailovna

Classification of tattoos

Conventionally, they are divided into:

• authoritative;
• thieves;
• tattoos for the lower strata (applied forcibly).

One of the rarest places on the body where an image is embossed is the area of ​​the head and legs. It is unlikely that you will meet a person who has tattoos in such a place. There are reasons for this.

The knees are the most difficult place to tattoo because the skin in these places is very rough, mobile and unruly. Drawings with a lot of detail can look very sloppy and distorted.

Secondly, the procedure is accompanied by severe pain.

And the most important thing is that the drawings embossed on the knees are significant. In the prison world, a privileged caste of people, which has a special status and position, has the right to wear them. What do the stars on your knees mean? This will be discussed further.

Who is allowed to wear a “thieves’ stars” tattoo?

Today, the body of almost every young man is decorated with tattoos, but not everyone knows how this or that body design appeared and what it means. Some of them are allowed to be worn only by the so-called “thief stars”. A person who does not have a certain status has no right to wear such tattoos according to prison laws.

Origin story

On the body of some prisoners you can see a tattoo depicting the so-called Wind Rose, which previously protected sailors from troubles during their travels. For a long time, the only reference point for sailors was the starry sky. According to many, a tattoo in the shape of a star helped them return from long sea voyages absolutely unharmed. This design also adorned the bodies of pirates who demonstrated their aggression and cruelty.

A tattoo in the shape of a star could also be seen on some warriors. If during a battle a warrior demonstrated special courage, it served as his distinctive sign.

Thus, the Wind Rose acquired a new meaning, becoming a symbol of the path of life and simply the meaning of life. This is precisely the meaning it has for those serving sentences in prison. A prisoner's priorities can be determined by his "thieves' stars."

Various types of tattoos

Body designs in the form of stars consist of two identical symmetrical figures, usually located on the knees, shoulders and under the collarbone. They belong to those few types of body designs that do not contain any inscriptions. Words are not needed, since knowledgeable people immediately understand their meaning. In the center of the star you can often see images of animals and other objects, various symbols and portraits of famous people.

A star with eight rays divided into white and black halves calls for “crush on activists.” The colors themselves also have meaning: flesh symbolizes the human principle, and dark symbolizes the thieves. This contrast suggests that this person lives according to human and thieves’ laws both in the zone and in freedom. If there is a cat inside the star, the prisoner is most likely a pickpocket. The wolf is an illustration of the phrase "man is a wolf to man."

What tattoos and who is allowed to wear them

To have one or another tattoo on your body, you must earn it. This is stated in the rules established in the zone in the middle of the last century. The wind rose, which is also called the “thief’s star,” can only adorn the shoulders of a thief in law. Stars pinned under the collarbones indicate that the prisoner is a “denier” (who does not recognize the rules established in the zone). If the stars are pinned on the knees, the person has never humiliated himself before any of the representatives of the law or those serving time.

The dangers of some tattoos

The tattoos described above should not be worn by those who have nothing to do with the criminal world. Even if you understand the meaning of the pinned stars and want to demonstrate your reluctance to bow to anyone, problems will not take long to arise. Cellmates will demand to prove the right to wear tattoos not in word but in deed. In the zone it is customary to be responsible for actions and words. Therefore, there is hardly any need to explain what the “thieves’ stars” impaled on the shoulders threaten an ordinary prisoner.

The sacred meaning of the star sign

The star sign has a certain mystical essence. This is one of the most ancient symbols of many cultures and religions. The meaning of the symbol for many centuries has been peace and the desire for perfection. It is also an eternal symbol of inexhaustible energy, good luck and deliverance from worldly vanity.

To make a similar pattern on your skin, you should understand what is on the shoulders, wrists, legs and other parts of the body. After all, such a tattoo has a powerful energy potential.

Recently, there is an increasingly common opinion that the stars on the shoulders resemble shoulder straps. No self-respecting criminal would agree to wear the badge of law enforcement officials. Therefore, even those who once stamped such a stamp on their shoulders today strive to cover it with other drawings.

Having examined the many interpretations of prison symbols, we can come to the conclusion that great diversity is inherent in such a prison attribute as a “star” tattoo on the shoulders. Its meaning is constantly changing, but most often such a symbol distinguishes a rebel person. He challenges the system and doesn't live by the rules. He will never give up his criminal worldview, so you need to be extremely careful with such people. Today, the popularity of this symbol is declining, since the stars on the shoulders resemble shoulder straps. In criminal circles, there is nothing more shameful than wearing the symbols of law enforcement officials.

Instructions

Draw a square. Try to draw its sides as evenly as possible. It is better to do this with finely honed hard grade T or even 2T. Auxiliary lines should be barely noticeable. It is most convenient to draw a square by placing a sheet of paper directly in front of you without any tilt, with the short side facing you.

Draw both diagonals and find their intersection point. Draw a vertical line through it. Its length should be equal to the length of the diagonal, and the intersection point divides this center line in half. Draw a horizontal line through the center of the construction exactly the same length as the vertical one. You have 8 rays of the same length.

Draw the rays. Start with a vertical line. Imagine that it passes through the middle of two rays. All you have to do is determine its widest part. To do this, step back equal distances to the right and left from the point of intersection of all lines. Connect them to the top and bottom ends of the center line. Draw all the other rays in the same way.

You can finish the drawing in different ways. For example, trace only the outline and remove the extra lines. It is better to outline the silhouette with a softer pencil. Paint the inside. You can make the rays multi-colored. In this case, leave some of the auxiliary lines. For example, the ones you used to draw the central vertical diamond. The remaining contour lines should end at the intersection with its sides. Fill the central ray with one color, and the two adjacent ones with another. Color the remaining rays in the same way, alternating colors.

note

A 12-pointed star is drawn using the same principle. True, in this case, each quarter of the square is divided not in half, but into 3 parts.

Helpful advice

In order to cut out such a star from colored paper, you do not need to draw anything. Make 2 squares of the same size. You can take two sheets of the same color or different. Fold one square diagonally. Then bend it again, matching the existing fold lines. Place the resulting triangle in front of you with the free side down. Mark a point approximately halfway between the center and the free edge. Starting from the corner, cut the workpiece to this point, and then from there to the second corner. Do the same with the second square. Place one piece on top of the other and glue them in the middle. The second square may be slightly smaller. It needs to be glued on top.

Recently, tattoos have become a very popular decoration among young people. And not everyone thinks about the meanings and history of the appearance of certain body designs.

However, according to the rules of the criminal world, some tattoos are not allowed to be worn by people without a certain status. This statement applies primarily to the so-called “thieves' stars.”

Thieves' tattoos, meaning

The criminal world, unlike the real one, lives by its own laws. They have their own titles and regalia, their own language (jargon), as well as such an attribute as a tattoo. For them, a tattoo is not just “painting” on the body - it is a language with which a lot of information can be conveyed.

Where and how many times he sat, what type (specialization: pickpocket, burglar, burglar, etc.). “Denial” is a person who lives by “concepts” and actively resists the administration.

Or maybe you “messed up” on your previous trip and they let you down, putting a “stamp” on them for those who were “down.”

The range of tattoos used by prisoners is very wide, from authoritative tattoos symbolizing the status of thieves, to the “stamp of the omitted.” And no matter how it sounds, they help and support the hierarchy of the criminal world.

What do the stars of thieves in law look like?

This image comes from the compass rose that sailors used to apply when setting sail. At that time, the celestial bodies served as landmarks in the sea, which is why such a symbol was chosen, which served as a kind of amulet for them. Since then, a lot of time has passed, and the stars began to signify the difficult life path of their owner.

In their modern form, star tattoos came from the mid-20th century. The tattoo has the shape of an eight-pointed star with black and white rays, and is tattooed in pairs and symmetrically to each other. Such an image defines a person who honors human and thieves’ laws, living according to certain concepts.

As a rule, the symbol is printed without inscriptions, although sometimes you can see portraits, animals and various symbols depicted inside. There are many associated elements and their meanings, and each of them has its own unique meaning. For example, the image of a cat means a pickpocket.

Criminal tattoos

Criminal tattoos are usually tattooed in places of detention. For prisoners and former prisoners, criminal tattoos play an important role and a special meaning, which not everyone understands. A tattoo on a prisoner’s body can tell a lot about the owner: from the number of prisoners to character and status in the criminal world. Nowadays, the concepts of certain tattoos have changed somewhat, and without knowing all the intricacies of criminal sketches, you can accidentally get yourself a prison tattoo.

In the first decades of Soviet power, the caste division of the criminal community was very strict. If a drawing was pinned “out of order,” its owner could be punished severely, even with death.

Gradually, morals, as throughout society, softened, and the final “liberalization” occurred with the end of the Soviet system and its cultural taboos. The first legal tattoo parlors opened, and the masses flocked to the recently semi-forbidden decoration. The drawings were filled with a variety of designs, including those with prison significance. Then one of the newly created owners of “beautiful pictures” went to prison, and there he was puzzled by the information that he had chosen the wrong picture, and the tattoo was considered criminal. It could have ended sadly.

However, even the severity of thieves' morals turned out to be powerless against the social trend. Gradually, there were so many owners of “self-proclaimed” criminal tattoos in the zone that the fight against them lost all meaning. Sanctions for such “violators” were no longer applied, and this rule is still in effect today.

Tattoo as a business card

A tattoo or tattoo can tell a lot about a person. Experienced sitters are well versed in the intricacies of the blue lines that decorate the body. And often an innocent, beautiful picture, which someone far from the criminal world pinned up for the sake of fashion or out of bravado, turns out to be filled with negative and even shameful content in the eyes of experienced prisoners. Such things are no joke in the zone, because the owner of a fashionable “tattoo” can pay for his shortsightedness with health or even life - depending on its content and on the mood of the prison population.

Law enforcement began studying tattoos about 80-90 years ago

Before this, tattoos were considered exclusively “special marks” and their maintenance was not taken into account by prison workers. A lot has changed over the past decades. Some "blatnaya" tattoos have ceased to be applied because the "language of the design", like "blatnaya fenya" (criminal jargon), has changed over the years to make it difficult for outsiders to study

Other tattoos have gone out of fashion because the social conditions that gave rise to them have disappeared - for example, popular in the past images on the chests of Lenin and Stalin (supposedly the convoy will not shoot at the leaders) are now practically never seen

Some “blatnaya” tattoos have ceased to be applied because the “language of the design,” like “blatnaya fenya” (criminal jargon), has changed over the years to make it difficult for outsiders to study. Other tattoos have gone out of fashion because the social conditions that gave rise to them have disappeared - for example, the images on the chests of Lenin and Stalin that were popular in the past (supposedly the convoy will not shoot at the leaders) are now almost never seen.