Though they’re increasingly popular, tattoos are by no means a modern innovation. Marking the skin permanently with dye has been found in cultures around the world dating back millennia.
Case in point: When the 5300-year-old naturally mummified body of Otzi the Iceman was discovered in 1991 in the Italian alps, the preserved body was found to have 61 distinct tattoos. Tattoos often held a deep spiritual meaning for our ancient ancestors, and for many people they are still loaded with significance.
To mark something permanently into the skin is a profound act, which is why we tend to choose tattoos that are meaningful to us. Our designs may commemorate important people or dates in our lives, express our most cherished ideals, or serve as a daily reminder of the things we value.
While many people employ images for this form of expression, words can also be a powerful option. With that in mind, here are 12 quotes worthy of being inked.
Only in the darkness can you see the stars.Martin Luther King Jr.
To live will be an awfully big adventure.J.M. Barrie
Still I rise.Maya Angelou
Make each day your masterpiece.John Wooden
Everything you can imagine is real.Pablo Picasso
Though she be but little, she is fierce.William Shakespeare
Through every dark night, there's a bright day after that.Tupac Shakur
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.eden ahbez
Impossible is just an opinion.Paulo Coelho
Happiness depends upon ourselves.Aristotle
Let it be.John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Wisdom begins in wonder.Socrates
Featured image credit: joelfilip/ Unsplash
