What Does Hermes Tattoo Symbolize?
Greek Mythology carries deep symbolism. Each represents various narratives of virtues and different deities from ancient Greece. They serve as a visual manifestation of your beliefs and interests, reflecting strength, wisdom, and resilience. In Greek mythology, Hermes is one of the twelve Olympian Gods. He is known to be the messenger or herald of and among the Olympians. He is most commonly portrayed as a young mischievous God who has a knack for having great timing when it comes to collecting all kinds of information. He is often shown donning a pair of sandals, a helmet, or a staff with wings that offer him swiftness in delivering his news. Ancient Greeks revered Hermes as the God of travel, guidance, and communication. According to legends, Hermes was also a trickster and given to steal when he found something useful. Hence, he is interestingly also known as the God of quick wit, resourcefulness, and adaptability, and the protector of skilled orators, thieves, merchants, and other heralds. Thus, a tattoo of Hermes can symbolize all of the above and more if the wearer chooses to portray the God in a certain artistic way, combined with other meaningful symbols. To know some creative ways to ensure your Hermes tattoo conveys a personalized meaning, continue on to the following section. You may also explore more Greek mythology tattoos to further experiment with the idea of presentation.
8 Awesome Hermes Tattoo Ideas For The Wanderer
There are more than a few ways that a few salient features from the various historical portrayals of Hermes, or a combination of them, can brilliantly represent God as well as express your shared ideologies. Find out how in the examples below.
1. Hermes Wings Tattoo
Hermes’ wings are his most notable feature as they symbolize his swiftness, which enable him to act as a prompt messenger. Due to his easy access to flight, he was also seen as a traveler or wanderer. Various renditions of Hermes over the years show him sporting wings either on his back, on a helmet, on his staff, or on the back of his sandals. Take inspiration from such renditions for your Hermes tattoo. The above image features a pair of magical wings sprouting from the spine and spreading across the wide canvas of a back, expressing wanderlust or a yearning for freedom.
2. Hermes Greek God Tattoo
Embrace the mischief, wit, and wisdom of Hermes by showcasing the God through a portrait tattoo. This tattoo shows him from a titled profile with his wings spread wide. The interesting thing about getting a portrait tattoo of Hermes is how you can customize these portraits with the face of someone you know to have similar qualities as that of the God. Alternatively, you can also show him in an animated illustration with a winged helmet, staff, and shoes, with an all-knowing smirk gracing his face.
3. Hermes Trismegistus Tattoo
Hermes Trismegistus, is a mythological figure who is a combination of Hermes and the Egyptian God of writing and learning, Thoth. The caduceus, which is a staff with two serpents twirling their way up where a pair of wings sits at the head, is the symbol associated with this figure. This symbol is also one that is debatably used to represent modern medicine or the community of modern doctors which is symbolized by the rod of Asclepius who is the God of healing. Despite the ambiguity in this regard, a tattoo of the caduceus can hold personal symbolism for someone in the medical fraternity, also conveying an interest in the ancient practice of alchemy.
4. Hermes Ankle Tattoo
Hermes is often portrayed wearing footwear with wings in the general heel or ankle area. A clever way to show this through tattoos is to choose an ankle placement where a stylized wing in the wearer’s preferred artistic style can be etched for an iconic reference. This placement, combined with the tattoo of a wing can speak of the wearer’s admiration for swiftness or speed. It can be a suitable tattoo for travelers and athletes alike.
5. Bird Of Hermes Tattoo
Hermes is often associated with birds, unsurprisingly, thanks to how often he is depicted with various wings. Although Hermes is not connected with any specific type of bird, quite a few people pair him with birds with charismatic properties. Such as a dove that always bears news of peace or a hummingbird for the swift fluttering of its wings. The tattoo above shows a hawk perched on top of a caduceus’ wings. This bird is associated with speed, laser eyesight, and exceptional hunting skills, opening up an array of symbolism for the wearer.
6. Minimalist Hermes Tattoo
If simplicity and minimalism is your aesthetic style, you can always illustrate the essence of Hermes with clean lines and minimal details. The tattoo above features a medium-sized caduceus done in fine outline on the inside of the wrist. Similarly, this idea can also be suitably represented through a small icon of a single wing or the outline of a helmet with wings on either side. The helmet can also be customized as per the wearer’s taste.
7. Geometric Hermes Tattoo
A geometric design paired with an ancient mythological God serves as the perfect combination of the past and present. There are a few fun ways to go about this concept. You can always go for a simple design featuring a geometric frame within which you detail a portrait of Hermes or a realistically detailed illustration of the caduceus, and so on. Or you may go for something complex like the above example that features a wing growing from geometric structures from the forearm, moving its way up, creating the illusion of a wing sprouting from one’s arm.
8. Hermes Winged Shoes Tattoo
This tattoo is inspired by Hermes’ iconic footwear, the talaria, which is a simple flat, strappy sandal with wings coming out of its back or sides. However, the cool part about this tattoo is that it can represent all things Hermes, even if the footwear is not the traditional Greek sandal. In fact, a fun idea would be to use footwear specific to a profession or hobby to personalize it. It could be a stiletto, hiking boots, sneakers, ballerina flats, and so on.
