Tribal Sleeve Tattoo Designs

No one know when the first tattoo was given, but tattooing goes back centuries. Many ancient tattoos were abstract designs, meant as an attractive ornament on the face or other parts of the body, or as part of a ceremony or rite of passage. Modern tribal sleeve tattoos can incorporate designs and motifs from a range of different cultures or original patterns from the tattooist’s imagination.

Runes and Symbols

Incorporate runes and other symbols into your tribal sleeve tattoo to give it additional personal meaning. Simple runes such as the Alquiz symbolizing protection (in the shape of a Y with an extra line between the two branching top lines) or the Berkana (like an uppercase B with triangular hoops) symbolizing new growth can add meaning to your tribal tattoo. Choose a rune that corresponds to your name for another layer of meaning. For example, if your name starts with a B and your tattoo symbolizes personal growth to you, a Berkana can suggest both.


Animal and Nature Motifs

Tribal tattoos often incorporate abstract motifs from animals and nature. Dragons, snakes, bats, suns and moons and other designs from nature and mythology are commonly represented in the complex, intersecting shapes of tribal tattoos. Some tribal tattoos also use parts of animals to give the design interest. A tribal sleeve tattoo could represent dragon claws, bear paws or bat and bird wings, for example, rather than an entire animal.