One of the popular designs for many tattoos is a religious or mythological based symbol. This has been a major traditional aspect of tattoos since they were first placed on human skin. And while religious tattoos continue to be popular with both church and secular people other community based symbolic designs are growing in popularity. Tattoos are often associated with the freedom of self and individual expression while at the same time they are frequently used to establish oneself as part of a group or community. As with many social elements, this is an interesting conflictive dynamic of them. However, most of the people who use them to represent their commitment to a group don’t try and express their independence through them. While inadvertently, many of the independent self expression thinkers will in-fact place themselves into a category by wearing a particular symbol or design.
Reading tattoo symbols has become more than an art, it is also a social science. Gangs often have a particular tattoo language and this, as well as are the tattoos of other populations and cultures, is studied by social researchers and the information is frequently used by police and other social service institutions. One of the popular religious association symbols used in tattoo designs is the Chi Rho. The design is relatively simple, in its base format, and is composed of the first two letters of the Greek word Christ. In the Greek alphabet this was X and P. The early Christians, who lived under the fear of persecution, developed the coded symbol as a means of fellowship recognition. There is also a legend attached to Constantine and the symbol. It is believed that he saw the symbol in the stars on the eve of a major battle. He believed the symbol was an omen and ordered the sign to be placed on the army standards. The story continues that after his defeat of Maxentius, he rescinded the ban on Christianity in appreciation.
