Jackspeak of the Royal Canadian Navy

Rooster and Pig Tattoos

When done on the ankles they are to prevent a sailor from drowning. These animals were originally carried on most ships in wooden crates. When a ship went down the crates would float and then catch currents and wash ashore with the other debris from the ship, making the pigs and roosters often the only souls to survive a shipwreck. When a sailor has a tattoo of a pig on the left knee, it was a symbol for safety at sea. A tattoo of a rooster on the right foot means that the sailor never loses a fight. These tattoos were also symbols of prosperity, as they were meant to ensure that sailors would always have ham and eggs, and never go hungry.

Added: 2014-11-01 Last modified: 2014-11-01