Viking compass amulet. Viking Compass: The Mystery of the Sunstones

02.07.2020 beauty

A tattoo with the image of a Vegvisir means fidelity, life, devotion, protection, amulet, path, search, journey, finding your destiny, movement, masculinity, perseverance, strength, endurance, perseverance, courage, assertiveness, determination, good luck along the way.

The meaning of the Vegvisir tattoo

A tattoo depicting a Vegvisir is popular among experts in Scandinavian culture, mainly among men, as it is considered a masculine symbol.

In ancient times, Scandinavian hunters and travelers applied a similar design to their bodies as a talisman. They believed that the vegvisir would protect them from adversity and other troubles, and would also show them the right path on their journey.

The Vegvisir itself is a runic compass in the form of an eight-rayed cross. Each of its rays points to a certain direction of the world: north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west and northwest. This compass helped to find the place where the wanderers were heading.

He was never wrong, even in bad times. weather conditions pointed the right path. Vegvisir helped its owner overcome natural disasters and get out of them while remaining alive.

The owner of a tattoo with the image of a Vegvisir is very persistent, goal-oriented person. If he has something in mind, he will make his idea come true, even if it takes years.

He will go towards his goal, despite any obstacles or troubles, with dignity passing through all the difficulties and trials encountered on his way.

One of the meanings of the Vegvisir tattoo is the search for one’s true path. People who think about their destiny, about which direction to move next, what to choose, where to find their place, often choose the vegvisir sign.

They need support from above to accept correct solution and move in the right direction, which they get thanks to the Celtic symbol. Such a tattoo will fill its wearer with self-confidence, energy, and the desire to create new worlds and fulfill their dreams.

Also, a tattoo with the image of a Vegvisir is suitable for those who like to explore the world through travel. Such people are very mobile, do not like to sit in one place for a long time, are unpredictable, spontaneous.

They can point their finger at a map, select a place and immediately head there. Vegvisir will help them avoid difficulties along the way and show them the most easy way movement. It will also protect you from troubles and bad weather conditions.

The Vegvisir tattoo is very popular among both men and women. The male part of the population usually chooses this symbol as a sign of masculinity, brutality, assertiveness and confidence.

And girls tend to interpret the meaning of vegvisir as finding one’s own path, making the right choice and fulfilling one’s cherished dreams. Often a vegvisir tattoo is chosen as a talisman for well-being, good luck and protection from evil forces.

Compass tattoo on bicep

A compass is designed to show direction to travelers. The device has retained its meaning in the symbolism of tattoos. However, its concept has been expanded and supplemented by related topics and interpretations.

When choosing such a symbol, focus on internal perception. The most successful choice of sign is always associated with the personal symbolism of the wearer.

Meaning of compass tattoo

The compass tattoo first appeared in the old school direction in the 19th century. This is a traditional thematic image whose meaning cannot be lost. The compass was not just a symbol, the sign protected the souls of sailors from various dangers of the changing elements of water.

The sea was believed to be filled with various inhabitants. These entities can harm a person’s consciousness and soul. The creatures that the sailors believed in had the power to confuse reality.

Perception distorted by their influence could lead to errors in calculations and actions. Therefore, the compass was an image that served as a talisman against such influences.

Today, the compass has a meaning that denotes the force of change. It is used by people who love travel and tourism. The meaning of the picture symbolizes freedom of choice, knowledge of true purpose and a sense of inner direction.

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On the skin of 19th century sailors, the design was made in the form of a primitive design without detail. Occasionally it was supplemented with flowers, for example, the compass pattern is still considered an old school classic.

In addition to this addition to modern culture The theme of the wind rose tattoo is popular. It also relates to the theme of travel and finding your place in life.

For connoisseurs of marine themes, a compass and anchor are a priority. This is the second most popular symbol after the compass rose. It is interpreted as a search for risk and bright colors of life.

A popular subject for drawing is a compass map tattoo. This drawing concretizes the interpretation, emphasizing the meaning of the love of travel.

No less interesting is the runic compass tattoo. The Scandinavian symbol has a second name - vegvisir. In Viking beliefs, the runic compass had the meaning of divine protection in finding a way among unfavorable conditions.

The so-called “shield of horror” is inscribed in the vegvisir; the sign was found near the settlement of Birka, carved on stones. This pattern protected from open and secret enemies, as well as from mystical entities.

For connoisseurs of oriental themes and mystical natures, the lopan compass tattoo will suit. In the practices of the East, this complex device made it possible to determine not only the cardinal directions, but also favorable zones. There are more than 500 signs on the dial of the lopan; they provide orientation by magnetic fields, stars and energy veins.

Men's tattoos

Tattoo culture is cosmopolitan, which means it is possible to apply a design to a representative of any age and status. However, the compass design changes meaning depending on gender.

So for men the symbolism means:

  • symbol of fidelity and constancy;
  • determination and focus;
  • aspiration for success, self-realization;
  • love of travel;
  • Confidence in your strength.

Most often, the symbol can be seen on the skin of men who have reached a certain age. The drawing is popular among audiences aged 25 and older. This is directly related to the conscious choice of drawing as a way to find one’s place in life and confirm one’s achievements.

Women's tattoos

For representatives of the fair sex, the design has the broadest interpretation. He presents a lot of surprises to those ladies who chose a tattoo by chance.

Often symbolism is tied to the internal perception of the world. But in some cases it is just a skin decoration without meaning.

For girls, a tattoo with a compass means:

  • freedom in relationships;
  • adventurism;
  • love for random turns of fate;
  • inconsistency in interests;
  • searching for a spiritual path;
  • lopan - a philosophical approach to existence;
  • runic - protection from dark forces, esoteric practitioner.

Variations on the theme of the compass are chosen by women seeking to find protection in practices. For many ritual actions, a compass is necessary, since the arrangement of objects is necessarily oriented to the cardinal points. The compass is applied to the skin in order to establish an indestructible connection between the energy fields and the soul of the wearer.

Compass tattoo locations

Depending on the details of the interpretation changes. So the meaning of a hand tattoo carries the meaning of finding a way. A tattoo on the shoulder with a similar design emphasizes the passion for travel. A design applied to the shin or calf area makes it easier to find your life path.

The tattoo is applied in the areas:

  • on the wrist;
  • on the forearm;
  • on the foot
  • on the neck.

In the neck area, the symbol emphasizes that the owner is confident in his intuition and conscious choice. This sign emphasizes strength of spirit and knowledge of one’s purpose. The drawing simultaneously performs a protective function. It blocks the way to influences that can cloud the mind.


  • Half sleeve tattoo, photo from: https://www.instagram.com/p/BXISnP1A_1B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • Arrow and compass tattoo on arm

  • Compass tattoo in trash polka style

  • Compass tattoo - burst on the back
  • Compass and map tattoo on forearm

  • Compass tattoo on hand

  • Runic compass tattoo - vegvisor

  • Compass tattoo on a girl's side

  • Compass tattoo on forearm


  • Old school compass tattoo
  • Tattoo with inscription and compass Compass tattoo on hand

The image of a compass in the area above the heart emphasizes the search for a spiritual path. The image preserves the harmony of a person’s conscious and sensory experience. The drawing acquires the same meaning when applied to the shoulder blade.

When looking at photos of compass tattoos, the sketches can be divided into several groups. The most popular are realistic images. Schematic drawings are included in the list of directions:

  • old school
  • oriental
  • and Chicano.

Men's tattoos are often made in these styles.

To successfully create a sketch, pay attention to color. It is better to select the saturation of the gamut and the choice of palette according to skin color. The lighter and more transparent it is, the richer the choice. The shape and style depend on the structure of the body.

The choice of area will directly dictate the shape and type of expression of the drawing. Consult a tattoo artist, he will help you determine the best option according to your capabilities.

Video - photo gallery of compass tattoo

Ten years ago, divers retrieved from the cabin of an English ship that sank in 1592 a translucent parallelepiped carved from a piece of Iceland spar. In 2011, a group of French physicists made a statement that this object is nothing more than the mythical Viking compass, the “sun stone”, which made it possible to determine the position of the sun in the sky even in cloudy weather. March 6, 2013 Journal of Physics and Mathematics of the Royal Society of London Proceedings of the Royal Society A published, which contains the results of experiments proving and showing that the discovered piece of Iceland spar is indeed a simple but reliable navigation device.

Now let's talk about everything in order. The sunken ship lies to this day off the island of Alderney, one of the Channel Islands that are scattered in the English Channel between the English and French coasts. The wreck site was discovered back in 1977 by a local fisherman: he raised a musket barrel to the surface along with his lobster traps. Some time later, a cast iron cannon and several small artifacts were found there, including an antique clay smoking pipe, a tin spoon and a bowl.

Real work on the ship began only in 1990, and the first results were published in 1992. Archaeologists were able to date the shipwreck to the early 1590s. They were helped in this by the discovery of lead weights with the monogram of Queen Elizabeth I. Such weights began to be cast only in 1587. The pound and two-pound examples found on the ship showed obvious signs of wear, therefore they had been in use for several years. Archivists also found a message about a shipwreck off the coast of Alderney in November 1592. The ship was carrying a courier to John Norris, the commander of the English troops in Brittany (the British at that time were helping the French king Henry IV fight the Catholic Spaniards on the continent).
The ship of the Elizabeth I era could not help but become a mecca for English underwater archaeologists, and the study of the wreck site off Alderney continued for another ten years. In 2003, divers examined a room believed to be the captain's cabin and found a compass (an instrument used to determine distances on a navigation chart) and a rectangular piece of whitish stone. The latest find interested Guy Ropars, a physicist from the University of Rennes (Rennes is the administrative center of the Brittany region).

In 2011, Ropar and his colleague Albert Le Floch told the press that for several years they had been working on the problem of the “sun stone” - an object mentioned in one of the Icelandic sagas that allowed medieval Scandinavian sailors to determine the position of the sun in the sky in cloudy weather .

The hypothesis that “sun stones” are polished pieces of Iceland spar is not new; it has been studied a lot by archaeologists, physicists, and simply enthusiasts. An interesting optical property of this mineral - birefringence - was described back in the 17th century by the Dane Rasmus Bertolin. The point is that a beam of light passing through a crystal is split into two components and simultaneously forms two images on the back of the crystal. The rays have different polarizations, so the mutual brightness of the images depends on the polarization of the source light (sunlight, as is known from the Rayleigh model, is polarized). By looking at the sky through a crystal and adjusting its orientation so that the brightness of the images is the same, you can determine the location of the sun.

In 2007, in the already mentioned physical and mathematical journal of the Royal Society of London, researchers from Hungary, Sweden and Switzerland appeared about the fundamental possibility of the Vikings using Iceland spar for orientation in difficult weather conditions. The article was received with great enthusiasm, and by 2011 the group of Guy Ropart and Albert Lefloch carried out a series of experiments with a piece of spar inserted into a special wooden case. It turned out that a simple device made it possible to determine the location of the sun with an accuracy of one degree - an excellent result.

Danish archaeologist Thorkild Ramskou published a popular science book back in 1969, in which he first hypothesized the identity of the “sunstone” and Iceland spar. He also owns the term “Viking compass”. This and Ramskow's second book on Viking navigation, which appeared in 1981, were successful in Scandinavia. Norwegian Leif Karlsen, a professional sailor and “reenactor” enthusiast, published a book on Viking seafaring in 2003, in which he described his experience working with Iceland spar crystals.

Then, in 2011, Ropar and Lefloch specifically noted that their work is a hypothetical reconstruction: no one has ever found a single genuine “sun stone” at excavations. But then it became known that the University of Rennes had the opportunity to study the find from a ship that sank off Alderney. The study of the stone and experiments with it took about a year. Ropar and his colleagues showed that, despite four hundred years spent in water and sand, the crystal retained its optical properties and exhibited excellent qualities: the error in determining the position of the sun was approximately one degree.

Thus, Ropar managed not only to experimentally explain the successes of the Vikings in navigation, but also to change our ideas about the level of navigational knowledge in England at the end of the 16th century. We now understand that at this time captains, at least some, did not rely only on compasses to determine direction, but also used the reliable Icelandic mineral. It turns out that in the half a thousand years that lay between the Vikings and Elizabethan sailors, the method was not lost, although no written information about it was preserved.

In the history of archeology, there are not many cases where the theoretical and practical justification of a hypothesis precedes the discovery of an artifact. A huge success for everyone – both physicists and lyricists. Surely supporters of the Vikings' discovery of the New World are already rubbing their hands in anticipation of new battles with their opponents, and the Elizabethan fanatics received yet another proof of the superiority of the British over other naval powers of that time. The Russian reader, perhaps, will grin and cannot resist quoting from “Eugene Onegin”: “And the distance of a free novel / Through the magic crystal / I have not yet clearly discerned.”

Decoding compass tattoos, types and meaning.

Lately, you don't often see people with a compass tattoo. This is due to the fact that everything less people know about the meaning of tattoos and the spread of artistic designs. Nowadays, many people make drawings simply because they are beautiful.

Designation options for men:

  • Determination. The man is purposeful and knows what he wants
  • Loyalty. Despite the thirst for travel, a man will be faithful to his chosen one
  • Love of travel. Most often, such tattoos are tattooed by sailors and adventure lovers.

It is extremely rare to see such a tattoo among girls. Still, this pattern is more suitable for men. But still, representatives of the fair sex can boast of such a tattoo.

Z Meaning for girls:

  • Windiness. Many believe that such a tattoo is chosen by young ladies who love casual relationships. There is no point in expecting seriousness and family from such a girl.
  • Spiritual development. This person doesn't really value money. For her, spiritual development is more valuable.
  • If the compass is runic Chinese, then the girl is looking for her path in life. This is a symbol of finding yourself in Loa Ji philosophy
  • Runic Scandinavian is a kind of amulet. The girl protects herself from the evil eye and bad thoughts.


Prisoners with such tattoos are not very welcome in the zone. First of all, such tattoos mean fraud and theft. They are filled with thieves and robbers, petty thieves at that.

Compass tattoo meaning:

  • On the shoulder or forearm. Perhaps the person works in an office, so if possible, he hides his tattoo under business clothes. The meaning of the tattoo is responsibility and a constant desire to travel.
  • On your hand or elbow. A person wants a tattoo to be noticed. IN in this case tattoo means love for women.
  • On the foot. A person lives by his own rules and adheres to principles.

This is a traditional compass that signifies a sense of adventure. Most often, sailors, travelers, truck drivers and freight forwarders get this tattoo. The drawing is more suitable for men than for women.

If a representative of the fair sex decided to get such a tattoo, then this speaks of her determination and desire to constantly move forward.





Now among the masters there are many representatives of the new school. They combine a variety of drawings with different meanings into one picture. The rose generally signifies attractiveness, love, purity and the muse. In combination with a compass, this can mean a love of travel and loyalty to your principles. In addition, a man with such a tattoo is a faithful and reliable companion. Among sailors, such a tattoo means homesickness.











This is a regular nautical tattoo. An anchor in combination with a rope or chain indicates a person whose life path is connected with the sea. It also symbolizes the presence of certain obligations to others.



Marine tattoo - compass and anchor: meaning, sketches for men and women

Marine tattoo - compass and anchor: meaning, sketches for men and women

Basically, in the past, only experienced sailors got such tattoos. If a sailboat with a compass is depicted, this meant that the sailor rounded Cape Horn, and not everyone succeeded. In addition, such a tattoo may mean belonging to a pirate.



Marine tattoo - compass and ship: meaning, sketches for men and women

Marine tattoo - compass and ship: meaning, sketches for men and women

Marine tattoo - compass and ship: meaning, sketches for men and women

Swallow meaning:

  • The Greeks in ancient times considered the swallow to be the messenger of Aphrodite
  • In China, feathered symbolized innovation, life discoveries and achievements
  • In Japan, the bird was considered a “mother” protecting the family

Joint tattoos of a swallow and a compass are popular among sailors. Previously, for every 5,000 miles, one swallow was captured nearby near the compass. This showed how many miles the sailor had sailed and how experienced he was.

Most often, the clock is filled after some serious event in life. This means a kind of countdown. In addition, a tattoo or compass speaks of the integrity of the owner of the tattoo.

This is the most complex drawing from a geometry point of view. It dates back to the times of ancient Chinese civilization. This symbol means striving forward and a desire to develop.





This is a very symbolic tattoo, and before getting it, understand the meaning of the runes. The main purpose of a tattoo with a compass and runes is to protect the owner from troubles and troubles.

Explanation:

  • Ken is a symbol of healing, bestows health, protects from harm, brings stability in love and friendships.
  • Man (Man) - helps to realize intellectual potential, instills goodwill in others.
  • Lagu (Lagu) – increases vitality, develops intuition.
  • Jera – helps to fulfill what you want.
  • Horn (Thorn) - weakens the influence of enemies, protects from the evil eye, brings success in business, helps to find love.
  • Ur (Ur) – brings pleasant changes to life, improves health.






Scandinavian compass - indicates the right path and the right road. This is a kind of symbol of patience and the desire to protect oneself. Simply put, it is a talisman.

There can be many options for the Slavic compass. First of all, these are a kind of amulets that are protection.

Transcripts:

  • Svetoch. Helps the owner calm down and find the right path
  • Svitovit. Connection of sky and fire. Since ancient times, pregnant women sewed a symbol into their dresses so that healthy children would be born.
  • Christmastide A symbol of spiritual rebirth and striving forward

All these Slavic signs are amulets and have little relation to the usual compass. But due to their external similarity, many runes are considered a compass.



Slavic compass tattoo: meaning, sketches for men and women Slavic compass tattoo: meaning, sketches for men and women

As you can see, tattoos can carry completely different meanings, depending on the location and details. Before you get a tattoo, study its meaning.

VIDEO: Meaning of compass tattoo