There is a beautiful legend in Greek Mythology that tells us Aphrodite, goddess of Love, gave the Rose its name. Chloris, the goddess of flowers, created it when she found the lifeless body of a beautiful nymph in the forest. Chloris called upon the other deities to help her right the wrong of this nymph's death. Aphrodite gave her beauty, Dionysus, the god of wine, added nectar to give her a sweet perfume, the three Graces gave her charm, brightness and joy. Chloris then called upon Zephyr, the West Wind, to blow away the clouds so Apollo, the sun god, could shine and make the flower bloom.
The rose goes back into antiquity, in fact, fossilised roses have been found that are several million years old. It has always been regarded, in Western civilisation, as the closest thing to perfect beauty.
The rose image has been used on royal standards, coats of arm, castle and palace decorations. It has been used in countless paintings, embroideries, etchings, carvings and photographs. Its simple and elegant beauty has endured through time, as has its message of beauty and love. It has always stood as an expression of love. Small wonder then, that numerous women have chosen it as a favourite tattoo. It can be used simply as a beautiful decoration or as a memento of a loved one or an event in one's life. In fact, it serves all purposes very well.
Rose tattoos have been favourites from the beginning and are still the most popular flower tattoo. Each person can decide the message she wants to send and the colour, size and placement of the tattoo. Whether done for decoration or love the image of the rose is a thing of lasting beauty.
Shoulders, lower legs, ankles and feet are popular places for tattoos on women, so too with rose tattoos. Women celebrities have been drawn to the rose, from a single large rose on a shoulder to a bouquet of roses on an ankle. One has a stemmed rose on her ankle while another has a heart and a rose on her lower leg, obviously an expression of love. Some people like to be different - one supermodel has a tattoo of a rose and skull on her upper arm. Others like to be daring, with a rose tattoo on a breast.
By Wlliam Burnell
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