Depicting the heart in such a mode may also be used to indicate the loss of someone close to you: your heart is devastated and your feel unable to cope with their absence. This feeling of imprisonment may have resulted from a smothering love, a feeling of being trapped in a marriage or family situation, or the pain of unrequited love.Īnother variation on this design is to have the wire piercing or slicing through the heart to indicate deeply felt pain.

Here, the barbed wire serves as a symbol of imprisonment, and you may want to show it as wrapped tightly around the heart, cutting off its circulation and thereby suffocating it. You may want to personalize this tattoo by getting a meaningful psalm of other bible verse tattooed underneath, either the entire phrase or an indication of where it is in the bible (ie: Psalm 23:12).Ĭombining barbed wire and a heart is a great design for anyone who feels trapped by love. This will signify that your tattoo is representative of Jesus' suffering on the cross and his salvation of mankind through both the crown of thorns symbolism in the barbed wire and the cross as a symbol of the crucifixion. Though plain barbed wire can be a clear indication of your Christian faith, make that allusion all the more meaningful by placing the barbed wire around a cross. In terms of placement, consider getting this tattoo around the bicep to represent strength in overcoming the adversity faced while involved in combat. This meaning is still relevant to today's conflicts, as many soldiers (former and current) may opt for a barbed wire tattoo to represent time spent behind enemy lines. Historically, the barbed wire tattoo can also allude to World War II and the prisoners of war from that conflict. The number of spikes on the barbed wire can indicate how many years you spent in prison, so consider personalizing the tattoo in this way to make it more unique and meaningful to you. Barbed wire is a symbol of captivity, and by getting a barbed wire tattoo you can communicate to others that you have spent time behind bars, perhaps unjustly so. Having a band of barbed wire around the bicep or wrist can thus be a daily reminder of your faith, and how Jesus suffered and died for humanity.Īnother, somewhat darker, meaning of the plain barbed wire tattoo is related to a person's time in prison. For many, barbed wire represents the crown of thorns worn by Jesus as he struggled with the cross on his journey towards crucifixion. Sometimes, the most effective tattoo is the simplest. Below are several variations of the barbed wire tattoo. There are several different variations of barbed wire tattoos: you may choose to get the barbed wire on its own, or you may pair it with another symbol, thus added another layer of meaning to the tattoo. The meaning of your barbed wire tattoo will ultimately be personal to you and reflective of your own experience and desires. The variety of meanings, particularly when paired with another image or symbol, as well as the potential for individuality and personal design, make barbed wire tattoos a great choice for almost anyone. Though perhaps primarily thought of as a popular tattoo for men, barbed wire tattoos are now often chosen by women as well. Getting a barbed wire tattoo is a great way to express your strength, that you've overcome adversity or a particularly hard experience, or your religious faith.

Barb wire tattoo designs