Balkan tattoo

For millennia, women adorned their daughters, and sometimes sons, with symbols of belonging and protection. Then the practice vanished—until now.

Memorial tattoos are a great way to honor those you love. They’re poignant and deeply meaningful ways to show how much they mean to you. So, today, we give you 150 memorial tattoo ideas that will serve as a lasting tribute to your loved ones.

by Ava Carić-Jurkota A set of ancient symbols, permanently etched into skin, provided a way for generations of people to hold their ancestors, culture, and history, a tangible memory even when words and oral history would be taken away from them. This is how we remember traditional Croatian and Balk

First tattoo Serbian Cyrillic quote done by Rob @ Stranči Tattoo in Cleveland OH

Rose and Croatian crest

Our necks have necklaces, ears have earrings, wrists have bracelets, and fingers have rings. Yet, chests... well, they have chest hair which isn't that impressive at all when you think about it. Okay, ladies usually don't have hair on their chests but that's not what we are talking about here. Some people, though, have found the perfect way to go about the bleakness of their chests and adorned them with incredible tattoo artworks.