Raven Tattoo Meaning
The raven is one of the most intelligent birds in the world and one of the darkest symbols in art. It brings wisdom, prophecy and messages from the other side.
Odin's ravens
In Norse myth the god Odin had two ravens, Huginn and Muninn — "Thought" and "Memory". Every day they flew across the world and returned to tell him everything they had seen. A pair of ravens stands for wisdom, knowledge and memory, and for Norse heritage.
An omen of death
Ravens feed on carrion and gather where there is death, so in many cultures they became messengers of death and of fate. In literature Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven made the bird the image of grief and loss. In dark art the raven joins skulls, reapers and gravestones.
The raven in the Bible
The raven also has a gentle side in scripture. Noah sent out a raven from the ark before the dove, and in the First Book of Kings ravens brought bread and meat to the prophet Elijah in the wilderness — a sign that God provides even in the hardest times.
Intelligence and transformation
Ravens solve problems, use tools and remember faces. For many people the raven stands for intelligence, adaptability and the ability to move between light and darkness.
Raven Tattoo Questions
What does a raven tattoo symbolize?
Wisdom, prophecy, memory and mystery, and in many traditions death or fate.
What do two ravens mean?
Huginn and Muninn, Odin's ravens — thought and memory.
Is the raven a Christian symbol?
It appears in the Bible: ravens fed the prophet Elijah, a sign of God's care.