Ravens are a deeply symbolic bird known for their great intelligence, with links to positive (wisdom, strength, curiosity) and negative (death, dark superstition, bad luck) themed tattoo ideas. A black raven can represent death and ill luck in many ancient cultures; however, their intelligence, curiosity, and foresight make them symbols of great power and positive omens in Norse mythology and Native American tribal society. Raven tattoo meanings in modern body art reflect numerous personality traits and behaviors, making them a popular tattoo idea for collectors looking for eye-catching body art with deep symbolism. Check out the article below to get a better idea of raven symbolism in world culture and tattoo design, so you can choose the best black bird tattoo design to reflect your concept. The Raven in Norse Mythology

  1. Great Odin’s Ravens Tattoo Meaning In Norse mythology, a raven symbolizes the mind, thought, and wisdom. Odin, considered the wisest and wiliest Viking god, is also sometimes referred to as the Raven God, as his daughters could transform into ravens. Odin was accompanied by two ravens whose names Huginn and Muninn meant “thought” and “mind.” Together, they were the trusted allies and friends of Odin. Huginn represented the power of thought, and Muninn possessed the ability to intuit meaning. The Poetic Edda tells of these beautiful black birds leaving Odin’s shoulders every morning to fly around the world, gathering all the knowledge and wisdom there was to be found in the day. Every night, they would return to him and whisper all the information they’d gathered in his ears, adding to his power and reinforcing his reputation as the all-knowing all-father. Odin’s Viking raven tattoo design ideas are some of the best and most interesting pieces favored by those with ties to the Norse culture.

 

  1. The Viking Compass (Vegvísir) A Norse charm, also known as the Vegvísir, the Viking compass derives its name from an ancient Icelandic manuscript and is now a much-revered Viking symbol in tattoo art. Vegvisir became known as “the signpost,” a charm to guide one through treacherous weather and terrain without getting lost. Given this meaning, you can understand why a Viking compass tattoo would be paired with the black raven tattoo design, the spirit animal linked to wisdom and Odin. The Viking compass consists of eight staves branching out from a shared point, with each stave’s symbolic meaning meant to represent a cardinal or intermediate direction. Each stave point ends in a unique ancient symbol believed by Norse scholars to be a protective rune to help direct the traveler to good seas and fair winds.

 

  1. Ragnar Lothbrok Tattoo Meanings Ragnar Lothbrok was the Viking king made famous by the History Channel’s TV series Vikings. Lothbrok, played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel, is depicted in many tattoos with a variety of animal totems. Ragnar’s superstition and belief in the rich tapestry of Norse gods often contrasted with his intelligent, innovative, and intuitive leadership. These factors help make a realistic raven tattoo one of the more popular choices for supporting imagery.

 

  1. Other Raven Viking Tattoo Images Ancient Viking warriors respected and revered the raven, which is often depicted in their clothing and jewelry, adorning armor, weapons, and banners. Fierce images of flying ravens are often featured in Viking banners. Among the warriors, a Viking raven tattoo is a way of honoring Odin, chief of gods and the All-Father. The ravens were also known to be comforters and messengers for warriors who died in battle. Ravens are also tied up in many other Viking tattoo designs, ranging from stories written in the Poetic Edda to runic symbolic tattoos and raven heraldry designs, alongside other key symbols such as the Tree of Life, also known as Yggdrasil.

 

Raven Symbolism in Other Ancient Cultures 5. Greek Mythology Throughout Greek history and fairy tales, ravens were a bird often used in a variety of stories with great symbolic meaning. Ravens were used as messengers from the gods for their intelligence and ferocity. Apollo, the God of Prophecy, was associated with the raven. He even used a white raven to spy on his lover Coronis. When the white raven reported that Coronis was cheating, Apollo burned the bird in his fury, turning its beautiful white feathers pitch black and making it a symbol of bad luck.

 

  1. Celtic Raven Tattoo Designs The Celtic tribes of the Iron Age brightly dyed their hair and had indigo-stained skin from the native Woad plant. Tattoos were held over for important rites of passage and for recognition of great valor in battle. The raven played an important talismanic role in Celtic myth. Swirls, trinities, and circles are believed to symbolize nature, motion, time, and the wind. The popular cross and circle stood for the unity of four directions under the sun before almost becoming forgotten lore as Christianity replaced paganism as the main religion of the British Isles. Contemporary Celtic tattoos often feature complex knotwork concepts, a mix of traditional and Christian symbolism, and fierce animal motifs, of which the raven spirit animal is an important signifier of wisdom. Source: @killainkstudio_vic_ via Instagram   Source: @uncensoredvikaskujur via Instagram
  2. Native American Ravens The raven rivals the eagle for symbolic significance in Native American culture, which makes it a common theme in tattooing. Ravens were intelligent and powerful creatures thought to be the bringers of light to the sun and conquerors of the destructive forces of nature in Native American culture. Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Tribes believed the raven flew out from the dark womb of the cosmos, bringing the light of the sun and dawning of understanding. The Inuit believed it was the raven that tricked a giant sea monster into submission, and to this day, its body serves on the Alaskan mainland.

 

The Raven in Modern Ink 8. Raven Wing and Feather Tattoo Ideas A tattoo of wings can represent a desire or a past accomplishment of “flying” away from something. This might connote a dysfunctional childhood, a dead-end hometown, or simply an old version of yourself that you’ve left behind. The choice of a raven symbol is often more aesthetic than symbolic. Due to the popularity of black tattoo work, a raven is a practical choice. Feather tattoos or quill and ink designs often incorporate a raven‘s feather, particularly the black ink designs conveying wisdom and intelligence.

 

  1. Black Raven Tattoo Symbolism  A black raven represents the good and the bad in us, much like the yin and yang. While the raven has been used to represent death, darkness, and destruction in horror movies and stories, this is not true for depictions of the bird in other art. The raven is a symbol of rebirth, recovery, renewal, recycling, reflection, and healing. It also embodies wisdom and intelligence, prophecy, mysticism, and mystery.

 

  1. Comparing Raven and Crow Symbolism in Tattoos While they are the same black color and similarly featured birds from the same family, ravens and crows are different. The raven is bigger and wilder, while the crow‘s feathers are more compact and it’s much more comfortable around humans. They are also thought of differently culturally. The raven is linked to wisdom and foresight, while crow symbolism tends more toward cunning, witchcraft, and the macabre. While both birds make popular tattoo designs, the raven is associated more with positive traits and behaviors.

 

  1. Edgar Allan Poe Tattoos For those with a maudlin bent, or a soft spot for literary body art, Edgar Allan Poe tattoos, a skull tattoo, or quill ink featuring a raven‘s feather can be extremely popular choices for tattoo art. The Raven is one of the most recognized poems written by Poe, the iconic (and tortured) American writer and poet whose work embraces the dark romanticism genre that invented modern detective stories and created enduring tales of horror. Poe, who named his raven “Nevermore,” wanted the raven to symbolize the mournful and never-ending remembrance of a love lost. As Poe was writing the poem, his wife Virginia was deathly ill due to tuberculosis. He also lost his mother, brother, and foster mother to the same illness.

 

  1. Black Ink Benchmark For tattoo lovers and/or the tattoo artist who prefers to work in black ink, there are few designs more interesting for developing a killer technical tattoo style than a quality raven piece. The black raven, or a crow tattoo, allows the artist and subject many different ways to express a black ink piece, whether it’s degrees of shading and grayscale, pointillism (dotwork), the contrast of strong black ink with negative space, or utilizing versatile linework choices (thicknesses, angles, flow). Black raven and feather ink also allow an opportunity to use white ink to highlight key characteristics of the bird or to lay more technical details into a really heavy piece.

 

  A raven provides sensational options for ink lovers and quality alternatives for lovers of mythology and folklore and those looking to get meaningful contemporary tattoos. While regarded in some contexts with negative symbolism linked to death, superstition, and bad luck, black ravenimagery is linked powerfully with wisdom and intelligence in the Norse and Native American cultures.

See more about - What Do Feather Tattoos Mean?

Ravens are a deeply symbolic bird known for their great intelligence, with links to positive (wisdom, strength, curiosity) and negative (death, dark superstition, bad luck) themed tattoo ideas. A black raven can represent death and ill luck in many ancient cultures; however, their intelligence, curiosity, and foresight make them symbols of great power and positive omens in Norse mythology and Native American tribal society. Raven tattoo meanings in modern body art reflect numerous personality traits and behaviors, making them a popular tattoo idea for collectors looking for eye-catching body art with deep symbolism. Check out the article below to get a better idea of raven symbolism in world culture and tattoo design, so you can choose the best black bird tattoo design to reflect your concept. The Raven in Norse Mythology

  1. Great Odin’s Ravens Tattoo Meaning In Norse mythology, a raven symbolizes the mind, thought, and wisdom. Odin, considered the wisest and wiliest Viking god, is also sometimes referred to as the Raven God, as his daughters could transform into ravens. Odin was accompanied by two ravens whose names Huginn and Muninn meant “thought” and “mind.” Together, they were the trusted allies and friends of Odin. Huginn represented the power of thought, and Muninn possessed the ability to intuit meaning. The Poetic Edda tells of these beautiful black birds leaving Odin’s shoulders every morning to fly around the world, gathering all the knowledge and wisdom there was to be found in the day. Every night, they would return to him and whisper all the information they’d gathered in his ears, adding to his power and reinforcing his reputation as the all-knowing all-father. Odin’s Viking raven tattoo design ideas are some of the best and most interesting pieces favored by those with ties to the Norse culture.

 

  1. The Viking Compass (Vegvísir) A Norse charm, also known as the Vegvísir, the Viking compass derives its name from an ancient Icelandic manuscript and is now a much-revered Viking symbol in tattoo art. Vegvisir became known as “the signpost,” a charm to guide one through treacherous weather and terrain without getting lost. Given this meaning, you can understand why a Viking compass tattoo would be paired with the black raven tattoo design, the spirit animal linked to wisdom and Odin. The Viking compass consists of eight staves branching out from a shared point, with each stave’s symbolic meaning meant to represent a cardinal or intermediate direction. Each stave point ends in a unique ancient symbol believed by Norse scholars to be a protective rune to help direct the traveler to good seas and fair winds.

 

  1. Ragnar Lothbrok Tattoo Meanings Ragnar Lothbrok was the Viking king made famous by the History Channel’s TV series Vikings. Lothbrok, played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel, is depicted in many tattoos with a variety of animal totems. Ragnar’s superstition and belief in the rich tapestry of Norse gods often contrasted with his intelligent, innovative, and intuitive leadership. These factors help make a realistic raven tattoo one of the more popular choices for supporting imagery.

 

  1. Other Raven Viking Tattoo Images Ancient Viking warriors respected and revered the raven, which is often depicted in their clothing and jewelry, adorning armor, weapons, and banners. Fierce images of flying ravens are often featured in Viking banners. Among the warriors, a Viking raven tattoo is a way of honoring Odin, chief of gods and the All-Father. The ravens were also known to be comforters and messengers for warriors who died in battle. Ravens are also tied up in many other Viking tattoo designs, ranging from stories written in the Poetic Edda to runic symbolic tattoos and raven heraldry designs, alongside other key symbols such as the Tree of Life, also known as Yggdrasil.

 

Raven Symbolism in Other Ancient Cultures 5. Greek Mythology Throughout Greek history and fairy tales, ravens were a bird often used in a variety of stories with great symbolic meaning. Ravens were used as messengers from the gods for their intelligence and ferocity. Apollo, the God of Prophecy, was associated with the raven. He even used a white raven to spy on his lover Coronis. When the white raven reported that Coronis was cheating, Apollo burned the bird in his fury, turning its beautiful white feathers pitch black and making it a symbol of bad luck.

 

  1. Celtic Raven Tattoo Designs The Celtic tribes of the Iron Age brightly dyed their hair and had indigo-stained skin from the native Woad plant. Tattoos were held over for important rites of passage and for recognition of great valor in battle. The raven played an important talismanic role in Celtic myth. Swirls, trinities, and circles are believed to symbolize nature, motion, time, and the wind. The popular cross and circle stood for the unity of four directions under the sun before almost becoming forgotten lore as Christianity replaced paganism as the main religion of the British Isles. Contemporary Celtic tattoos often feature complex knotwork concepts, a mix of traditional and Christian symbolism, and fierce animal motifs, of which the raven spirit animal is an important signifier of wisdom. Source: @killainkstudio_vic_ via Instagram   Source: @uncensoredvikaskujur via Instagram
  2. Native American Ravens The raven rivals the eagle for symbolic significance in Native American culture, which makes it a common theme in tattooing. Ravens were intelligent and powerful creatures thought to be the bringers of light to the sun and conquerors of the destructive forces of nature in Native American culture. Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Tribes believed the raven flew out from the dark womb of the cosmos, bringing the light of the sun and dawning of understanding. The Inuit believed it was the raven that tricked a giant sea monster into submission, and to this day, its body serves on the Alaskan mainland.

 

The Raven in Modern Ink 8. Raven Wing and Feather Tattoo Ideas A tattoo of wings can represent a desire or a past accomplishment of “flying” away from something. This might connote a dysfunctional childhood, a dead-end hometown, or simply an old version of yourself that you’ve left behind. The choice of a raven symbol is often more aesthetic than symbolic. Due to the popularity of black tattoo work, a raven is a practical choice. Feather tattoos or quill and ink designs often incorporate a raven‘s feather, particularly the black ink designs conveying wisdom and intelligence.

 

  1. Black Raven Tattoo Symbolism  A black raven represents the good and the bad in us, much like the yin and yang. While the raven has been used to represent death, darkness, and destruction in horror movies and stories, this is not true for depictions of the bird in other art. The raven is a symbol of rebirth, recovery, renewal, recycling, reflection, and healing. It also embodies wisdom and intelligence, prophecy, mysticism, and mystery.

 

  1. Comparing Raven and Crow Symbolism in Tattoos While they are the same black color and similarly featured birds from the same family, ravens and crows are different. The raven is bigger and wilder, while the crow‘s feathers are more compact and it’s much more comfortable around humans. They are also thought of differently culturally. The raven is linked to wisdom and foresight, while crow symbolism tends more toward cunning, witchcraft, and the macabre. While both birds make popular tattoo designs, the raven is associated more with positive traits and behaviors.

 

  1. Edgar Allan Poe Tattoos For those with a maudlin bent, or a soft spot for literary body art, Edgar Allan Poe tattoos, a skull tattoo, or quill ink featuring a raven‘s feather can be extremely popular choices for tattoo art. The Raven is one of the most recognized poems written by Poe, the iconic (and tortured) American writer and poet whose work embraces the dark romanticism genre that invented modern detective stories and created enduring tales of horror. Poe, who named his raven “Nevermore,” wanted the raven to symbolize the mournful and never-ending remembrance of a love lost. As Poe was writing the poem, his wife Virginia was deathly ill due to tuberculosis. He also lost his mother, brother, and foster mother to the same illness.

 

  1. Black Ink Benchmark For tattoo lovers and/or the tattoo artist who prefers to work in black ink, there are few designs more interesting for developing a killer technical tattoo style than a quality raven piece. The black raven, or a crow tattoo, allows the artist and subject many different ways to express a black ink piece, whether it’s degrees of shading and grayscale, pointillism (dotwork), the contrast of strong black ink with negative space, or utilizing versatile linework choices (thicknesses, angles, flow). Black raven and feather ink also allow an opportunity to use white ink to highlight key characteristics of the bird or to lay more technical details into a really heavy piece.

 

  A raven provides sensational options for ink lovers and quality alternatives for lovers of mythology and folklore and those looking to get meaningful contemporary tattoos. While regarded in some contexts with negative symbolism linked to death, superstition, and bad luck, black ravenimagery is linked powerfully with wisdom and intelligence in the Norse and Native American cultures.

See more about - What Do Feather Tattoos Mean?

Ravens are a deeply symbolic bird known for their great intelligence, with links to positive (wisdom, strength, curiosity) and negative (death, dark superstition, bad luck) themed tattoo ideas.

A black raven can represent death and ill luck in many ancient cultures; however, their intelligence, curiosity, and foresight make them symbols of great power and positive omens in Norse mythology and Native American tribal society.

Raven tattoo meanings in modern body art reflect numerous personality traits and behaviors, making them a popular tattoo idea for collectors looking for eye-catching body art with deep symbolism.

Check out the article below to get a better idea of raven symbolism in world culture and tattoo design, so you can choose the best black bird tattoo design to reflect your concept.

The Raven in Norse Mythology

1. Great Odin’s Ravens Tattoo Meaning

In Norse mythology, a raven symbolizes the mind, thought, and wisdom. Odin, considered the wisest and wiliest Viking god, is also sometimes referred to as the Raven God, as his daughters could transform into ravens.

Odin was accompanied by two ravens whose names Huginn and Muninn meant “thought” and “mind.” Together, they were the trusted allies and friends of Odin.

Huginn represented the power of thought, and Muninn possessed the ability to intuit meaning.

The Poetic Edda tells of these beautiful black birds leaving Odin’s shoulders every morning to fly around the world, gathering all the knowledge and wisdom there was to be found in the day.

Every night, they would return to him and whisper all the information they’d gathered in his ears, adding to his power and reinforcing his reputation as the all-knowing all-father.

Odin’s Viking raven tattoo design ideas are some of the best and most interesting pieces favored by those with ties to the Norse culture.

 

2. The Viking Compass (Vegvísir)

A Norse charm, also known as the Vegvísir, the Viking compass derives its name from an ancient Icelandic manuscript and is now a much-revered Viking symbol in tattoo art.

Vegvisir became known as “the signpost,” a charm to guide one through treacherous weather and terrain without getting lost.

Given this meaning, you can understand why a Viking compass tattoo would be paired with the black raven tattoo design, the spirit animal linked to wisdom and Odin.

The Viking compass consists of eight staves branching out from a shared point, with each stave’s symbolic meaning meant to represent a cardinal or intermediate direction.

Each stave point ends in a unique ancient symbol believed by Norse scholars to be a protective rune to help direct the traveler to good seas and fair winds.

3. Ragnar Lothbrok Tattoo Meanings

Ragnar Lothbrok was the Viking king made famous by the History Channel’s TV series Vikings.

Lothbrok, played by Australian actor Travis Fimmel, is depicted in many tattoos with a variety of animal totems.

Ragnar’s superstition and belief in the rich tapestry of Norse gods often contrasted with his intelligent, innovative, and intuitive leadership.

These factors help make a realistic raven tattoo one of the more popular choices for supporting imagery.

4. Other Raven Viking Tattoo Images

Ancient Viking warriors respected and revered the raven, which is often depicted in their clothing and jewelry, adorning armor, weapons, and banners. Fierce images of flying ravens are often featured in Viking banners.

Among the warriors, a Viking raven tattoo is a way of honoring Odin, chief of gods and the All-Father. The ravens were also known to be comforters and messengers for warriors who died in battle.

Ravens are also tied up in many other Viking tattoo designs, ranging from stories written in the Poetic Edda to runic symbolic tattoos and raven heraldry designs, alongside other key symbols such as the Tree of Life, also known as Yggdrasil.

Raven Symbolism in Other Ancient Cultures

5. Greek Mythology

Throughout Greek history and fairy tales, ravens were a bird often used in a variety of stories with great symbolic meaning.

Ravens were used as messengers from the gods for their intelligence and ferocity.

Apollo, the God of Prophecy, was associated with the raven. He even used a white raven to spy on his lover Coronis.

When the white raven reported that Coronis was cheating, Apollo burned the bird in his fury, turning its beautiful white feathers pitch black and making it a symbol of bad luck.

6. Celtic Raven Tattoo Designs

The Celtic tribes of the Iron Age brightly dyed their hair and had indigo-stained skin from the native Woad plant. Tattoos were held over for important rites of passage and for recognition of great valor in battle. The raven played an important talismanic role in Celtic myth.

Swirls, trinities, and circles are believed to symbolize nature, motion, time, and the wind. The popular cross and circle stood for the unity of four directions under the sun before almost becoming forgotten lore as Christianity replaced paganism as the main religion of the British Isles.

Contemporary Celtic tattoos often feature complex knotwork concepts, a mix of traditional and Christian symbolism, and fierce animal motifs, of which the raven spirit animal is an important signifier of wisdom.

Source: @killainkstudio_vic_ via Instagram

Source: @uncensoredvikaskujur via Instagram

7. Native American Ravens

The raven rivals the eagle for symbolic significance in Native American culture, which makes it a common theme in tattooing.

Ravens were intelligent and powerful creatures thought to be the bringers of light to the sun and conquerors of the destructive forces of nature in Native American culture.

Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Tribes believed the raven flew out from the dark womb of the cosmos, bringing the light of the sun and dawning of understanding.

The Inuit believed it was the raven that tricked a giant sea monster into submission, and to this day, its body serves on the Alaskan mainland.

The Raven in Modern Ink

8. Raven Wing and Feather Tattoo Ideas

A tattoo of wings can represent a desire or a past accomplishment of “flying” away from something. This might connote a dysfunctional childhood, a dead-end hometown, or simply an old version of yourself that you’ve left behind.

The choice of a raven symbol is often more aesthetic than symbolic. Due to the popularity of black tattoo work, a raven is a practical choice.

Feather tattoos or quill and ink designs often incorporate a raven‘s feather, particularly the black ink designs conveying wisdom and intelligence.

9. Black Raven Tattoo Symbolism 

A black raven represents the good and the bad in us, much like the yin and yang.

While the raven has been used to represent death, darkness, and destruction in horror movies and stories, this is not true for depictions of the bird in other art.

The raven is a symbol of rebirth, recovery, renewal, recycling, reflection, and healing. It also embodies wisdom and intelligence, prophecy, mysticism, and mystery.

10. Comparing Raven and Crow Symbolism in Tattoos

While they are the same black color and similarly featured birds from the same family, ravens and crows are different.

The raven is bigger and wilder, while the crow‘s feathers are more compact and it’s much more comfortable around humans.

They are also thought of differently culturally. The raven is linked to wisdom and foresight, while crow symbolism tends more toward cunning, witchcraft, and the macabre.

While both birds make popular tattoo designs, the raven is associated more with positive traits and behaviors.

11. Edgar Allan Poe Tattoos

For those with a maudlin bent, or a soft spot for literary body art, Edgar Allan Poe tattoos, a skull tattoo, or quill ink featuring a raven‘s feather can be extremely popular choices for tattoo art.

The Raven is one of the most recognized poems written by Poe, the iconic (and tortured) American writer and poet whose work embraces the dark romanticism genre that invented modern detective stories and created enduring tales of horror.

Poe, who named his raven “Nevermore,” wanted the raven to symbolize the mournful and never-ending remembrance of a love lost.

As Poe was writing the poem, his wife Virginia was deathly ill due to tuberculosis. He also lost his mother, brother, and foster mother to the same illness.

12. Black Ink Benchmark

For tattoo lovers and/or the tattoo artist who prefers to work in black ink, there are few designs more interesting for developing a killer technical tattoo style than a quality raven piece.

The black raven, or a crow tattoo, allows the artist and subject many different ways to express a black ink piece, whether it’s degrees of shading and grayscale, pointillism (dotwork), the contrast of strong black ink with negative space, or utilizing versatile linework choices (thicknesses, angles, flow).

Black raven and feather ink also allow an opportunity to use white ink to highlight key characteristics of the bird or to lay more technical details into a really heavy piece.

 

A raven provides sensational options for ink lovers and quality alternatives for lovers of mythology and folklore and those looking to get meaningful contemporary tattoos.

While regarded in some contexts with negative symbolism linked to death, superstition, and bad luck, black ravenimagery is linked powerfully with wisdom and intelligence in the Norse and Native American cultures.

See more about - What Do Feather Tattoos Mean?

See more about - What Do Feather Tattoos Mean?