There are so many tattoo designs that you can get that the possibilities are endless. From having a pineapple on you to having a Medusa tattoo, all of these tattoos can hide a meaning that you might have never even known about. Much like that, the spider web on the elbow tattoo has a similarly dark history that it is associated with it that involves prison and racism!
That is why it is important to completely understand the meaning behind tattoos so you don’t get misjudged for having a cool design on your body. So let’s explore the many differences between a spider web on elbow, find out why it has such a negative reputation behind it, and how it still has some positives that you can take inspiration from!
Key Takeaways
- The spider web on elbow has many dark meanings that it is connected to due to prisons and gang members sporting such them.
- However, even with a dark image, the spider web on the elbow tattoo can have a positive meaning as well that is connected to nature, individuality, and spiritualism.
- Tattoos are more acceptable nowadays so getting a spider web elbow tattoo is possible. However, you will take into consideration public image due to the negative image that it has.
Dark Side of Spider Web On Elbow Tattoo: Origins and Meaning
A spider web on the elbow is a wonderful design! It sparks a varied range of emotions from people and no doubt that is what you may want to invoke in others. However, the spider web on the elbow has a dark and storied past starting from the prisons from the 1970s to the early 2000s. So let’s see some of the more horrifying meanings behind spider web on elbow tattoos.
White supremacy and racism connection
One thing that you might have not guessed about the spider web on elbow tattoo is its relation to white supremacy and the groups that followed such ideology. To give a bit of background to this, white supremacy is a group that believes white people are the purest beings and that people of other colors are even human. This is the same ideology that Nazi Germany followed and it had seeped into other parts of the world.
During the 70s when white supremacists were in prison, they would get a spider web tattoo on their elbows to show and identify to other like-minded people. And not just anyone could have such a tattoo either. You would have to be certified to get it. This meant that you would probably have to kill a person of a minority to get the so-called badge of honor in the spider web on elbow. Not just that, but other visible parts such as the neck, back, and face were popular places as well.
So why, you may ask, that this was their branding for white supremacists? Answering it can be tough when you put it into the context of the tattoo itself. Spider webs as a tattoo might signify that you are to be in this way of life forever and subtly ‘trapped’. Another reason is that spiders are scary and they want to invoke the same fear into people of minority so they can avoid them. In a way, this is one of the more disgusting symbolism of a tattoo.
Incarceration and prison life
Along with white supremacists, other prisoners used to also get tattoos spider webs tattooed on their elbows as well. It signified that you are or were behind bars for an extended period, which is usually the case for people that have committed some sort of heinous crimes (that I don’t even want to get into!).
The meaning behind getting such a tattoo in prison is obscure, even though the spider webs on the elbow is probably the second most popular tattoo that people in prison get, behind the ‘teardrop’ tattoo. However, it could mean that you have been caught in the web of the law for a very long time. Spiders are trappers; once their prays are caught in the web, they almost never escape. Just like that, people who are in prison might associate with that as well. They are trapped in the prison and use the spider webs to signal other prisoners of their status.
Admission of crime
One that might be a bit more obscure for most of the West, but the spider web tattoo on the elbow has a deeper meaning that comes from Russia has a deeper meaning that relates to a life of crime. While most people who have committed a crime end up in prison and that is where they can get them, people who haven’t been to prison also get them! Things such as drug addiction or being a thief are common reasons why people got a spider web on their elbows. The influence can definitely stem from seeing people from prison who have been released.
Having a spider on the web could mean relating to the severity of the crime, especially behind bars. Most people who have been to solitary confinement due to breaking the rules of the prison get the spider web tattoo.
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Spider Web On Elbow: 7 Positive Meanings Behind It
The good news is that not all spider web tattoo on the elbow has the same meaning! In fact, a lot more of the meaning can be traced back to having positive meaning behind it instead! So let’s look at what it could mean in a better light.
1. Native American spider woman symbolism
If you even look at the structure of a spider web, you will notice it has a stark resemblance to dreamcatchers made by Native Americans. That is where the dreamcatchers got their initial design inspiration from! Native Americans have another interesting aspect of spiders where they have a mythical figure in the Spider Woman or the Spider Grandmother.
The Spider Woman can have different meanings in different Native American tribes. For example, the Navajo tribe Spider Woman constructs a web to help the cradle of newborn babies, protecting them and making sure that they can peacefully sleep at night.
2. Struggle and new beginnings
While the spider tattoo might mean that you were once addicted to drugs, it does not mean that you have let it take over your life completely. People often get spiderwebs on their elbows to signify that they were down the wrong path but have now switched to a clean path. The spider web showcases a life of struggle and now it serves as a constant reminder to you to change your life and become better, both physically and as a person.
3. Nature
Spiders are one of the best constructors of nature, like honeybees and other birds. Spider webs on your elbow could signify your closeness to nature. And just like nature, the spider web could also indicate the cycle of life that everyone has to go through. It is a great way to show that you are aware of the world around you and still want to be close to it.
4. Web of wyrds and web of fate
Another weird mythological-based web is the Web of Wyrds from Norse mythology. While it is not typically the spiral spider web design, the symbolism behind it is brilliant! It showcases the interconnectedness of the things that are happening around us. The so-called web of fate is another way you can think of, showing the closeness one has with fate and nature altogether.
5. Patience: A sailor yearning for home
Spiders are patient creatures. They wait for hours on end till they catch their prey so they can sustain life. During the old days, sailors used to yearn for home and had to be patient while out at sea. During their time of patience looking out at the sea, sailors used to perch on the side of the deck with their elbows out, where the famous spider web tattoo had become a symbol of patience for sailors.
6. Betrayal and loneliness: a sign for others
Betrayal and loneliness go hand in hand. Trusting other people is hard, especially when you have been betrayed by someone close to you. The dark imagery in your mind can be a tough thing to swallow during these times and that is what the spider web on your elbow can help you! It is a sign for others to notice that you are a creature of solitude just like the spider and that it will take time for you to open up to anyone. It can also serve as a reminder when you are alone. Being alone is okay and if a spider web tattoo could help, then go for it!
7. Resilience and protection
Just like the previous meaning, a spider web on your elbow could help mean that you are fine being alone and have gained some resilience to what the world throws at you. Just like the spider quietly spinning its web, you are one such person as well. You also should not take a spider web for granted since spider webs are very strong for what they are used for. It can serve as a protection for yourself, reminding you that at the end of the day, you have to look out for yourself before doing so for others.
Spider Web on Elbow: Perception Today and Is It Worth It?
Spider webs are a great design, a design that is straight from nature itself! It is a great tattoo since you can have all sorts of spider web designs and include different types of spiders as well. However, on the elbow, it might have a connotation that you might find unfavorable, especially today. Tattoos are already looked down upon in the public perception and it does not help that the tattoo has become a symbol for hate. A spider web elbow might make others weary of you and of what you did.
Famous celebrities around the world still sport the tattoo because of the positive sides that a spider web has, even on the elbow. Tattoos are fast becoming more popular and more readily acceptable to wear out in society.
I would say it might not be worth getting a spider web on the elbow due to the negative image and the type of people that may be drawn to the tattoo. There are many other places where you can get the tattoo, places where it is less noticeable.
So instead, if you don’t want the tattoo on your elbow, you could try getting a spider web tattoo on your:
- Chest
- Biceps
- Thigh
- Knees
- Butt
- Finger
- Sternum
- Ribs
- Calf
A spider web tattoo in more hidden areas won’t have the same meaning as more visible areas of your body so you can be safe from the negative image that it attracts. You should definitely talk to your tattoo artist about it in more detail so you have a clear understanding of where to get your tattoo so that others may see it in a positive light.
FAQs
Is a spider web tattoo allowed in military?
In both the Army and the Navy, a spider web tattoo might be acceptable. Navy soldiers get loads of tattoos done on them and spider web tattoos are very popular with snipers due to the patience of waiting for the right shot.
Can I get a Native American tattoo?
You should not get a Native American tattoo unless you are of Native American origin. It could be seen as a cultural appropriation and make you seem like you are stealing their tradition due to the gruesome mistreatment of Native Americans in the past.
Is spider tattoos evil?
It might be seen as evil due to the relation that spider and spider webs have with prisons and gangs which you might be incorrectly associated with as well.
Final Thoughts
Spiders are the craftsmen of nature with their intricate designs that they spend hours if not days working on. The meaning behind spider web tattoos is more notorious than you think, especially in visible areas like the elbow, neck, and face. However, there are far more positive meanings behind a spider web tattoo than there are negative ones! If you want to get a spider web tattoo on your elbow, then you should be able to do so! If not, there are other places that you can get it that are better hidden. Regardless, you should talk to your tattoo artist at length to get a clear idea of where a spider web tattoo will be good, be it the elbow or some other area of your body!
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