Russian prison tattoos and meanings

In the era of the Soviet party, Russian prisons were controlled by a gang known as the Thieves in Law. This gang enforced strict guidelines, including what and where prisoners could tattoo on their bodies.

Between and , during his career as a prison guard, Danzig Baldaev made over 3, drawings of tattoos. They were his gateway into a secret world in which he acted as ethnographer, recording the rituals of a closed society. The icons and tribal languages he documented are artful, distasteful, sexually explicit and provocative, reflecting as they do the lives, status and traditions of the convicts that wore them. Baldaev made comprehensive notes about each tattoo, which he then carefully reproduced in his tiny St. Petersburg flat. Caricature of the Communist Party. The tattoo of an otritsala a convict who refuses to submit to any kind of authority , who was frustrated with the length of his sentence nine years.

Russian prison tattoos and meanings

The ink created and worn in Russian prisons is a mysterious and often intimidating part of the world of tattoos. These tattoos often represent a hostile set of beliefs, a crime, or where the wearer stands in the criminal underworld. However, they can be helpful for prison authorities because they can give vital information. For example, sometimes tattoos are enough to send a person back to prison or even save the life of a man with a badge. Soviet period prison tattoos hid an elaborate and rich visual language. The origins of these prison tattoos can be traced back to the early age 19th century. At this time, the government initiated a practice of tattooing "KAT" on the faces of convicted criminals. This term, derived from the Russian word for "criminal," was a visible indication to society that the bearer had completed one or more prison sentences. This set them apart from the general population of Russia. Over time, prisoners began to take pride in these markings, viewing them as a symbol that commanded respect and deterred potential troublemakers. In the s, inmates in the Russian prison system began tattooing more intricate designs on their bodies when serving their sentences, driven by a determination to assert their identities and defy the pigeonholing imposed by the government. They aimed to take authority away from those in power, transforming a punitive act into a badge of honor they willingly embraced.

The origins of these prison tattoos can be traced back to the early age 19th century. Most commonly seen on the forehead.

Throughout history, those shunned by society have sought unity amongst themselves by creating a language of allegiance and ranking through the ink embedded in their skin. Criminals and convicts all over the world have come together to create their own language by tattooing symbols onto themselves as a way to communicate what they have done and show others that they are not afraid or ashamed. There is nowhere else on Earth where that is more true than in the Russian prison system. Every prisoner is marked, every drop of ink holds meaning, and the symbols are a language in and of themselves. Each body tells a unique story of time served and crimes committed. There are typically inmates jammed into a cell, and they have to take turns sleeping due to limited space and bunks. Russian prisons are well-known for being dangerous and violent, ignoring humanity in favor of strict punishment.

From the s to s , photographer Sergei Vasiliev and retired police officer Arkady Bronnikov documented tattoos on prisoners in the Soviet Union now Russia , and their photos were compiled into several art books by FUEL Publishing. These prison tattoos continue a tradition that goes back decades. At first, a prisoner would be inked or branded with a series of letters that denoted his crime and where he served his sentence. That system grew into an elaborate code that showed what someone had done, how long they'd served, their rank in the prison hierarchy, and if they could be trusted. The designs of Russian prison tattoos include elaborate religious scenes that denote if the wearer is a legitimate thief, stars that denote a criminal leader, elaborate codes in multiple languages, and images of defiance against prison authority. A trained observer can tell everything about a Russian prisoner by their tattoos. So, what do Russian mafia tattoos mean? Read through this list of tattoos of Russian criminals to find out.

Russian prison tattoos and meanings

Russian prison tattoos are a unique form of body art with a long and storied history. However, over time, these tattoos have taken on a life of their own, developing intricate designs and meanings that speak to the experiences and struggles of those who wear them. Russian prison tattoos have been around since the early 20th century, when they were first used as a way for inmates to communicate with one another and assert their dominance within the prison system. These tattoos were often applied with makeshift needles and ink made from cigarette ash or other materials available to prisoners. Over time, these tattoos evolved into a complex system of symbols and designs, each with its own meaning and significance. They became a way for prisoners to display their rank, status, and affiliations within the criminal underworld, as well as their loyalty to various criminal organizations. Russian prison tattoos have a complex system of meanings that originated within the Russian criminal underworld.

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The number of barbs on the wire indicates the total term of the sentence in this case 8 years. During the 20th century in the Soviet Union , Russian criminal and prison communities maintained a culture of using tattoos to indicate members' criminal career and ranking. The number of logs on the fire denotes the custodial sentence given. The tattoos show a "service record" of achievements and failures, prison sentences and the type of work a criminal does. Various tattoos depicting skulls. CPSU You are walking the right path, comrades! The autopsy was carried out by students at the Military Medical Academy. Many times, the only career that a former inmate can have is that of a tattoo artist, as the tattoos that they received in prison can make it difficult to find work, especially when their ink marks them as a thief. However, in the Russian historical context, this world developed other meanings. Show 25 25 50 All. As a student, you learn every step of the tattooing process from professional artists with the experience and advice you need to build your skills and create incredible tattoos. The icons and tribal languages he documented are artful, distasteful, sexually explicit and provocative, reflecting as they do the lives, status and traditions of the convicts that wore them. Misha stop talking through your arse. Chest, shoulder.

For 20 years, Bronnikov travelled across the Ural region uncovering the codified language of Soviet prison tattoos.

Thieves, robbers and exploiters prefer clubs and spades. The ink created and worn in Russian prisons is a mysterious and often intimidating part of the world of tattoos. Thieves Stars. July 23, PM. Coffins also represent murder; they are burying the victim. Stars on the chest convey an even higher ranking and only the most respected earn the right to have them. Prisoners with the tattoo of a snarling tiger are known to show aggression to authorities, and have usually spent time in solitary for an attack on a guard, or has wound up in prison for attacking a police officer. Join the Tattooing Community today and get free, instant access to tools and resources that take you behind the curtain of all things tattooing. There are typically inmates jammed into a cell, and they have to take turns sleeping due to limited space and bunks. This gang enforced strict guidelines, including what and where prisoners could tattoo on their bodies. Tattoo popular among both men and women. Manacles are another sign of sentencing, and are sometimes paired with cathedrals found on the hands. Bottom right: A thieves tattoo showing the term — seven years. It is also used as a talisman of protection against trouble and injuries while in prison, and can indicate that the prisoner started their life of crime at a very early age.