Inside: Vegvisir tattoo ideas for those who are inspired by the Vikings.
Now that we are able to get ahold of our precise lineage with things like ancestry or 23&me, many people are finding out more about who they are and where they came from.
This is a fantastic thing. Recently, someone I know took the test and discovered that they had a crazy high percentage of Viking descendants, leading us down the rabbit hole of learning all we could about them.
We discovered so many awesome things on our journey, but throughout our searches, this interesting symbol kept popping up. It resembled a compass, but it looked like runes were used instead of letters. It was such a cool design that we looked into it. It turns out it was a Vegvisir.
This is a symbol that many Viking descendants get tattooed because it holds such great symbolism.
Keep reading if you are interested in getting a Viking Vegvisir tattoo. In this article, I not only explain its meaning and symbolism, but I go over everything you will need to know before getting it, along with some tattoo ideas as well. Let’s go!
Viking Tattoo Meaning
According to a historical article, The Vegvisir symbol, also known as a Viking Compass, is composed of eight of the Viking rune staves. These runes come together to create a symbol of guidance that was believed to be used by the Vikings as a compass.
In the Icelandic language, the word Vegvisir translates to ‘Wayfinder.’ To quote the article, “In the Huld Manuscript, the Vegvisir is mentioned as a symbol of guidance and protection merely in a sentence that translates to something along the lines of “the wearer of this symbol will not lose his way during storms and bad weather, even if he does not know of his destination”.
So those who decide to get this symbol tattooed onto them are basically getting a reminder that they are protected in all they do. More than this, it is saying to trust your guidance and ability to get through even the hardest of times.
Pretty awesome, right? If this idea resonates with you then you may be in the market for one of these awesome tattoos. Keep reading to learn more about this process!
How much will it cost?
To get a Vegvisir tattoo, the cost will vary depending on a few decisions, such as how big you want it, how detailed, and so on. These small details all add up to time, and tattoo artists typically charge by the hour. So a tattoo that takes more time will cost more money.
But these tattoos are so awesome that it is absolutely worth any price. And if you are worried, you can always talk to your artist. They will be able to give you an accurate estimate based on the tattoo idea that you have.
Below I have some Vegvisir tattoo examples that will help give you inspiration for your own tattoo. But first…let’s talk pain.
Will a Vegvisir Tattoo Hurt?
This answer also varies, depending on where you get it. Overall, yes, you can count on your tattoo to hurt while getting it. Regardless of whether you are getting it done on a less painful spot or not, it will hurt.
But if you want to limit the amount of pain, here are a few tips: choose a spot that is meatier and less boney. They have fewer nerves and therefore hurt less. So stay away from your rib cage or your spine. Instead, try your forearm or your thighs…places like that. If you are still worried about the pain, invest in some numbing cream before your appointment.
Now that we know about the cost and the pain, let’s get into the inspiring part: the Vegvisir Tattoo Ideas!
Viking Compass Tattoos
First up, we have some awesome ideas for some Vegvisir compass tattoos. These should give you a good understanding of what the symbol looks like and the different ways that you can spice it up if you prefer more than just the symbol itself. There are many different styles and themes that you can go with that all surround the Vegvisir symbol.
1. Compass Arm Tattoo – I wanted to start out with a tattoo that gave you a clear view of the Vegvisir symbol. This one is so cool!
2. Epic Bird Tattoo – This tattoo shows you how you can incorporate animals that are important to you into this tattoo as well.
4. Viking Arm Tattoo – This is a great tattoo compass example, this artist uses dot work for its shading and it’s really awesome.
7. Minimalistic Viking Compass – These are some great tattoo concepts that I wanted to include. The details on these are epic.
8. Viking Chest Tattoo – This chest tattoo is a wonderful display of the Viking symbols. Getting a navigation tattoo on the heart is such a special place, full of its own symbolism.
10. Viking Scalp Design – Though the scalp is a very painful area to get tatted, if you are naturally bald then this is an awesome spot. Doesn’t it look cool?
11. Shin Tattoo
12. Shin Sleeve
Cool Vegvisir Viking Tattoos
This last list is full of some of the Viking tattoos that I just had to include. You’ll see what I mean when you look through these; they are just so cool. Each has its own unique spin that will feed your creative inspiration more than anything else on this list.
So take a look and keep your notebook handy to write down the things you like. You can also bookmark or screenshot this article!
13. Bind Runes with Scalp Tattoo
14. Light and Dark Viking Design – I love the use of light and dark within this tattoo to help further symbolize balance within the person. Cool, right?
15. Viking Raven
16. Colorful Vegvisir – So far, there haven’t been many of these tattoos that use color. So take a look at this one for colorful inspiration!
18. Epic Colored Tattoo – Here is another colored tattoo that only uses a few colors, this time along with the black ink to make an awesome end result.
21. Amazing Viking Woman Art – Viking women were so powerful, so it isn’t hard to understand that women would find this tattoo to be inspirational.
22. Viking Chest Tattoo in Black and White
So, did you find a Vegvisir tattoo that you just fell in love with? Because I found a few. This tattoo is so inspiring and beautiful that I find it hard not to book my tattoo appointment as I type this.
Tattoos can be an important way to honor your culture and your ancestors. So if you are of Viking descent, then perhaps this tattoo will mean much more to you than if you were just to get one because you liked it(which is okay too).
Remember that after you get your tattoo, your journey is not finished. You have to use proper aftercare methods to help ensure that you end up with a happy, healthy tattoo, and just the way you want it. We have tips for you.