Barb Wire Tattoos

Several celebrities wear manly barb wire tattoos. While many of us relate such tattoos with prisoners, what it has to do with someone like Pamela Anderson who also has this tattoo inked on her upper arm?

To understand barb wire tattoo meaning we have to look at what it is and for what reasons it is used. The metal wire with spikes at a regular interval was invented in the United States of America in 19th century and firstly used to fence areas for animals. If you do not notice this kind of fence or try to cross it, you are seriously injured. As these wires were proved to be really useful to curb animal freedom, authorities started to use them also in jails and other places to deny prisoners or people with mental illnesses escape easily. The same wires were used also in concentration camps around Europe to keep people imprisoned.

Yes, this tattoo really can be related to prisons. As a former prisoner tattoo it means that many years have been spent in confinement, and the amount of barbs can show the number of years without freedom.  Pamela Anderson has another explanation for the barb wire inked on her upper arm: it’s for defence of animal rights. She is PETA activist and her tattoo stands for barb wire used to fence cattle living areas.

As you can figure out all barb wire tattoo designs are related to different kinds of imprisonment, pain and lack of freedom. It also resembles with Christian symbol crown of thorns Jesus Christ was wearing before he got crucified to die for sins of humanity and for those who tortured him. Although this resemblance doesn’t make barb wire a symbol of Christianity.

The same way it stands as a symbol of freedom that is taken away, it expresses the idea that freedom limitation has to end and that authorities are not standing for our freedom but derogation. Barb wire tattoos often tell that a person wearing them has gone through pain and knows heaviness of restriction. It can also show that this person won’t let random people to get into their lives and read them like open books, because the barb wire is protecting their inner feelings.

Just like cages for birds symbolize limitations of freedom, barb wire says the same but in a more harsh, merciless and less poetical way. The most popular place to get this kind of tattoo is any place of your body where it can go around showing something being inside - behind the fence. Think about getting a wristlet, barb wire on your upper arm, around your ankle or thigh, but if you are looking for small tattoos you can get it inked also as ring on a finger or toe.