120 Mayan Tattoos to Take You On a Historical Journey

There are so many different types of Mayan tattoos, from signs for duality to those of power.

I have spent a lot of time in South America and got the chance to study the native and ancient art of the regions. This is when I became interested in Mayan art and the tattoo designs based on it.

Come along and discover all the different kinds of Mayan tattoos you can choose from.

Mayan Tattoo Designs

Here are some of the Mayan tattoos that you can consider:

Hunab Ku Mayan Tattoos

The hunab ku is one of the Mayan symbols that represents duality. It is quite similar to the yin yang symbol in China. It is meant to symbolize two opposing forces.

In one sense, the hunab ku shows that you have to have a balance between the two forces. At the same time, it also shows the forces joining together - going from a duality to a single element.

The Mayan earth symbol is another personification of this concept. The Mayan sun and earth symbols balanced each other out in terms of good and evil. This is because the Maya believed that there was a fine line between good and evil.

The Hunab Ku Mayan tattoo design is an excellent way to bring both light and dark qualities to life. Needless to say, it is one of the more popular Mayan symbols and Mayan tattoos around.

Mayan Sun Tattoos

The ancient civilization of Maya believed that the Earth was the center of the universe and was fixed and immovable. The considered the sun and other heavenly bodies as Gods. The movement of these bodies were seen as the Gods journey from heaven to the underworld to other celestial destinations.

Now, the Mayan sun symbol was important to the people. The sun was represented by the god Kinich Ahau - he was one of the more powerful deities.

Due to this, the Mayan sun tattoo and the Kinich Ahau symbol hold very distinct meanings. It signifies power, courage, and a journey through life. This Mayan tattoo can also portray the cyclic nature of life that is much like the dawning and setting of the sun.

Mayan Calendar Tattoos

As the Mayans closely followed the sun, moon, and stars, calendars were highly important in their society. It was used to determine predictions for battles, marriages, and other auspicious dates.

Check out this calendar Mayan tattoos:

Kukulkan and Mayan Serpent Tattoos

Kukulkan is the feathered serpent God of many cultures of the Mesoamerica. However, he is especially known in the Yucatec Maya.

Kukulcan was seen as a creator god by the Mayan civilization as well as the bringer of wind and rains. He is also considered the creator of life.

Just as Mayan tattoos featuring Kukulkan are important Mayan symbols, so is the Mayan serpent tattoo.

The people of the Mayan culture considered snakes to be creatures of both above and below. As a result, they are seen as the bridge between humanity and the gods. The open mouth of the snakes in a Mayan tattoo is meant to represent caves from which you can travel to the underworld.

The body of the snake in Mayan tattoos, though, represents the sky. In fact, the pronunciation for both snake and the sky is the same.

Here are some of the Kukulkan Mayan tattoos that you should check out:

Another interesting fact about the Kukulkan Mayan tattoo is that it can be drawn as the Mayan ouroboros as well. In this case, the serpent is eating its own tail.

While these aren't strictly Ancient Mayan tattoos, you should check out Mayan tattoos like these. The serpent eating its own signifies the never ending cycle of destruction and regeneration. It can also mean that things are never truly destroyed but rather changed and altered as time moves forward.

Mayan Jaguar Tattoos

If you want to get a Mayan tattoo that is deeply rooted in the Mayan culture, then a Mayan jaguar tattoo is definitely the one to get.

See, Mayan tattoos featuring the jaguar are quite significant. The people of the Mayan civilization believed that as the sun crept out of sight that it turned into a jaguar.

In South America, the jaguar was the largest wild cat and one of the biggest predators around. Therefore, the jaguar represents power. This Mayan tattoo is usually associated with warriors and hunters. The Mayan eagle has a similar meaning.

However, unlike the Mayan eagle, the Jaguar is also an authority to royalty. In fact, you will often see depictions of royalty wearing Jaguar pelts on their head. This is to represent the power and spirit of the jaguar tattoo.

So, if you have a warrior's spirit, then a jaguar tattoo may be just what you need. It is certainly one of the more popular Mayan tattoos.

Here are the Mayan tattoo ideas based on this concept that you can consider:

Mayan Skull Tattoos

A Mayan skull tattoo is another of the top Mayan tattoos to get. The Mayan skull tattoo can come in a few different forms.

The Mayan tattoos may consist of the elongated skull. In this ancient culture, certain apparatus were placed on the skulls of babies and small children. Over time, these permanently changed the shape of the skull.

It is difficult to know why this was done but it may have used to protect children from evil winds. Some people also believe that it is an indicator of social status and even beauty.

Here are the Mayan tattoos that can give you an idea of what kind of design to get for your body art:

The other kind of Mayan skull tattoo that you can get is those depicting the Mayan people themselves. The skulls in place of the faces could be a nod to the fact that many of the original elements of the culture has been lost.

Here are some of the Mayan tattoos based on these Mayan tattoo ideas:

Mayan Carvings Tattoos

If you are a lover of Mayan art, you may want to look into Mayan tattoos featuring carvings. Not only are the carvings of the Ancient Mayan civilization breathtaking, they also have many different stories to tell.

Even if you are a fan of the Mayan style, the stone carvings are a good place to get inspiration for your Mayan tattoo. You can check out the patterns, shapes, and designs used by the Mayan people and their ancient civilizations.

Once you have the style of body art down, you can include other elements such as the hidden temple, totem animals, and more.

Here are the Mayan tattoos you should look to for inspiration:

Mayan Queen Tattoos

If you want to get a Mayan tattoo of a Mayan Queen, there are some things you should know first.

Queens weren't usually in power unless they were waiting for a male heir to attain age. In some instances, if there was no male heir, the Queen did take over for that period of time.

That being said, the Mayan tattoos depicting Queens is largely a modern re-imagining. Still, it does make for some beautiful body art!

Did the Mayans Have Tattoos?

Yes, the Mayans did have tattoos. In fact, tattoos were a religious affair for the Mayans. The pain and blood associated with the tattooing process was seen as a tribute to the gods. This is also why the Mayans often got images of their gods, spiritual symbols, and powerful animals like the Mayan bat, eagle, and jaguar tattooed on their body.

Both men and women could get tattoos in the Mayan culture. The women got tattoos on their upper bodies. The men were more likely to get them on their hands, arms, legs, backs, and sometimes even the face.

Did the Mayans Have Ink?

Yes Mayans did have ink. However, their method of tattooing was different to what is done now. The Mayans created a pattern on the body using ink. Then, they cut into the skin according to the pattern. So, when the scars healed, it created colorful Mayan tattoos.

Mayan Tattoos vs. Aztec Tattoos

I want to talk about the differences between the Mayan culture and the Aztec cultures as well as the variation in Aztec and Mayan tattoos.

A lot of people get these two mixed up - both the cultures and the tattoo designs. Despite originating from similar areas and even sharing spaces at one point, they are independent cultures. As such, they had religions, customs, and rituals unique to each party.

Due to this, it is important to always do your research when you want to get a Mayan tattoo. Research images, symbols, and concepts so that you can be certain about which group they belong to.

After all, tattoos are forever. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a tattoo with an image or meaning that is different to what you intended it to be.

There you have it - all the Mayan tattoos that you needed to see to make up your mind about the right one for you.