The triskelion is an ancient symbol that remains popular with tattoo lovers on every continent.
The word triskelion comes from the Greek meaning “three-legged,” but the symbol of three interlocking spirals moving outward from a center point is much older than that recorded in language.
The major interpretations of the triskelion include concepts of life, death, and rebirth; the mind, body, and spirit; and the past, present, and future.
The triskele is most commonly associated with Celtic folklore widespread amongst the tribes of Europe and likely used and adopted by “civilized” trading societies such as the Greeks, Romans, and Persians.
The following gallery of the top 67 triskelion tattoos demonstrates cool symbolic ink in a range of styles and applications to provide you with stylish options for your next design.
1. Triskelion Arm Tattoos
2. Back Tattoo Designs
3. Celtic Style Tattoo Art
4. Feminine Triskelion Tattoos
5. Triskelion Tattoos for Men
6. Nature Themed Triskelion Tattoos
7. Odin/Norse Triskelion Tattoos
8. Simple Ink Ideas
9. Small Tattoos
10. Tattoos for the Wrist
What does a triskelion tattoo symbolize?
There are many interpretations of the triskelion including:
- The concepts of life, death, and rebirth
- The mind, body, and spirit
- The past, present, and future
- Principles of numerology
- The Christian holy trinity (post pagan)
It’s a popular tattoo concept for its geometric imagery and for the range of possible meanings collectors ascribe to the triskelion they relate to.
The word triskelion comes from the Greek language and means “three-legged,” but the symbol of three interlocking spirals moving outward from a center point is much older than that recorded in language.
The triskele is most commonly associated with Celtic culture, but the image is widespread amongst the ancient tribes of Europe.
It was likely used and adopted by “civilized” trading societies such as the Greeks, Romans, and Persians, and then made even more popular during the time of Norse raiders and traders during the early part of the Middle Ages.
The triskele, or triple spiral, is perhaps the oldest Celtic symbol. To the ancient Celts, the symbol had a lot of meanings involving nature and held great spiritual meaning within the various pagan religions.
Triskelion Celtic art, sculpture, and tattoo have largely kept its mystique as an ancient symbol, being linked with the mind, body, and spirit, or more basic interpretations of life, death, and rebirth.
While similar to the triquetra (the Celtic knot) in meaning, it’s believed the triskele conjoined spirals are a much older Irish symbol that has retained its basic Celtic belief tied to nature, motion, and numerology.
The symbol meanings, while certainly similar, don’t have the same connotation to Christianity that the Celtic trinity knot, Celtic Cross, and other knotwork does.
The Celtic knot symbol was adopted by the Catholic church early on – as a means to help convert followers with an identifiable Irish symbol – and has crafted a long association to the Holy Trinity. The Celtic cross reinforced the church’s position by linking old Celtic tradition with the “modern” symbol of God.
The triskelion tattoo is most often a simple etching in black ink of varying thicknesses depending on the size and placement of the tattoo.
A skillful tattoo artist can make each spiral of the triskele symbol play off each other simply to create harmony and balance.
One common variation to this is to create a circle or wedge of black ink that contrasts the negative space (non-tattooed) gaps in the design to make a more complete circle.
The skills of tribal tattoo designers have progressed a long way from only etching simple black ink and negative space tattoos.
For Norse mythology Celtic tribal tattoo designs, popular images such as the triskelion, the triquetra, the Valknut (a series of three interlocking triangles), and the triquetra (Celtic knot) can now be brought to life in more exciting ways that create extra layers of deep meaning to each piece.
The increased focus on tattoo artists’ skills for transferring each ancient symbol like the triskele, means more interesting design styles are coming into play. These techniques include:
- Dotwork
- Stone effects
- Classical black and gray laying
- Neo-traditional color and watercolor tattoos
- Photorealism
Whether it’s a classically Irish Celtic symbol or a large-scale piece dedicated to runes and Norse mythology, modern triskele tattoos have begun to develop
Is the triskelion a purely Celtic symbol?
The word triskelion comes from the Greek meaning “three-legged”, but the symbol of three interlocking spirals moving outward from a center point is much older than that recorded in language.
The triskele is most commonly associated with Celtic folklore and history, however, it was also widespread amongst the tribes of mainland Europe, Scandinavia, and even the Steppes of Eastern Europe, likely used and adopted by “civilized” trading societies such as the Greeks, Romans, and Persians.
How much does a triskelion tattoo cost?
A small triskelion tattoo in black ink will cost anywhere between $100-$200 if done by an experienced professional. Most shops will have a stencil on hand for small pieces.
Larger black ink pieces, tribal designs, color and more intricate black and gray style body art can take up to 3-4 hours. A quality artist’s per hour price is around $150-$200.
Make sure you have a clear idea of the price before committing to the ink, and remember that tipping is customary for good work.
Where should I place my triskelion tattoo?
The triskelion is a brilliantly versatile image when used in tattoos, as it can have a similar effect at different sizes due to the natural balance it shows via the three differing spiral elements.
The most popular sites for triskelion ink include:
- The junction of the spine at the neck
- The shoulder
- The inner/outer forearm
- The top of the hand and fingers
- The outer bicep
- The lower leg, ankle, and foot