10 Nautical Tattoos And Their Meanings

Sometimes seen as a pig and rooster, these two animals seem an odd pairing. Either placed on each foot or on another part of the body that allowed for two matching images, the superstitions that surround them specifically are a little odd to say the least.

Traditionally, these were animals that could not swim and one train of thought was that should the ship go down, God would see these two animals that didn't stand a chance in the briny deep and would rescue them in some way. Obviously, by extension, this would save the sailor from drowning as well.

The second idea was that these two animals were frequent items of cargo on vessels and had a tendency to stay alive if washed overboard since the containers that they were shipped in would stay afloat until they reached land.

So we are essentially left with two differing theories as to why this very specific pairing feature so prominently. Either they are very likely to be lost at sea or they are very likely to survive: - two opposing positions that both seem to agree that these images on your skin will save you from drowning.

(Fun fact: the nautical tradition is the reason a pig and chicken appear as characters in Disney's ocean-bound Moana.)