Medusa tattoo is seen as a symbol of female power, strength, and survival. It is usually popular among survivors of sexual assault, especially women. Men who request the tattoo have family/friends who have been assaulted before.
I once had a conversation with a lady who came for a medusa statue tattoo. For her, the decision to get the tattoo was a big step to moving on from the traumatic incident she encountered. She told me about how Medusa's story made her feel seen, and why she decided to get the tattoo as a source of strength and inspiration.
Keep reading to learn about the story of Medusa, with the top 55+ tattoo designs you can recreate.
Medusa was one of the three gorgon sisters alongside Stheno and Euryale. Her sisters had already manifested as hideous creatures with snake hair and a gaze that could turn one into stone. She was human, with the gorgon genes.
According to ancient Greek mythology, the innocent maiden caught the eye of Poseidon (the God of the sea). Poseidon decided that he could have anyone he wanted as he was a god. He made advances at Medusa that were rejected and decided to rape her to teach her a lesson.
Poseidon raped Medusa in Athena's temple. Despite being the victim, she was blamed for defying the temple. According to history, she was one of the first women to undergo victim blaming in the world. Not only was she blamed for the sexual assault, but Athena also cursed her to become a horrible snake-haired monster (like her sisters), with a gaze that could turn a person to stone.
You'll expect anyone to fall apart or become lost when doomed with faith like Medusa's, but she didn't let herself get victimized. She became one with her venomous snakes and used them, together with her ability to turn people into statues to ensure she didn't become vulnerable ever again.
Since Medusa was bestowed with the ability to turn whoever she looked at into stone, she became a threat to the entire world, because she was angry at everyone.
She wreaked havoc and killed many people, both the deserving and the undeserving. King Polydectus had to do something to stop the killing and sent Perseus to find and eliminate Medusa.
Perseus knew he wouldn't find it easy to kill her due to how strong she had become. So he had to get help from the gods who provided him with divine and powerful tools.
Perseus got a polished shield from the goddess Athena which he used to protect himself from Medusa's gaze. He got a harpe and adamantine sword from Hephaestus which he used to behead Medusa.
After the beheading, Perseus used her head to fight many battles and changed his enemies to stone.
Medusa did not allow her faith to define her, she accepted her faith and used it as a source of strength. This is why she is seen as a major inspiration of strength for women.
Most women who have experienced sexual assault get the Medusa tattoo to show the world that they're strong and confident, despite what they have gone through. It's a way of declaring that survivors of sexual assault are not afraid to take on the world and become the best versions of themselves.
Medusa was always called a snake-haired monster in Greek mythology. She had several poisonous snakes on her head that were capable of attacking those that stood in her way.
This is why people get the Medusa tattoo as a powerful symbol of protection against evil. Medusa was very dangerous, so her tattoo was also said to serve as an apotropaic symbol of female power used to ward off the evil eye. (The evil eye is a curse in Greek culture that is still believed to exist by some).
Want to go all out on your medusa tattoo? Then it would be best if you get the ancient Greek design on your chest. Here, your tattoo artist has enough space to flex with the tattoo design.
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The Medusa thigh tattoo looks incredible on females. It is used to express female power and expresses Medusa's image in a confident way.
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Medusa tattoos on the sleeve are popular among guys. Some men get tattoos in support and solidarity with the fight against sexual assault.
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These 3 locations are said to work best with the tattoo but notwithstanding. You can get your art in any location you are most comfortable with.
The beautiful maiden Medusa was brutally raped in Athena's temple and also punished by the goddess Athena, who changed her into a snake-haired figure. This is enough to make even the kindest people turn wicked.
Here, Medusa is depicted as evil and ready to conquer the world. The beautiful tattoo stands out and might be misinterpreted by those who are unfamiliar with Medusa. The most common interpretation of the tattoo is usually 'unwarranted evil' by people who don't know the story.
The evil Medusa tattoo can be done as a protective symbol or as a way to repel evil. It is also popular among rape victims as an outlet for their pain, or to show the world that they are not weak, regardless of their terrible experience.
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Medusa is commonly known as a snake-headed monster who was capable of turning people into stone with a single stare. This is why the Medusa tattoos sometimes feature her or the gorgons transformed or portrayed as statues.
The tattoo is symbolic of many things including abuse, Medusa's power, stigma, femininity, or transformation.
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Medusa is described differently in various accounts relating to Greek mythology. Some idolized her, while others maligned her, depicting her as a monstrous, alien-looking creature with reptilian skin.
The grotesque tattoo of the gorgon is a great choice for people who like cartoonish images. This design is usually popular among guys to express their support for people that have been victims of sexual assault.
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Another trendy tattoo style features only half of the Medusa's head. The body art can be done with a caption under the tattoo to get a powerful message across.
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Blindfolded tattoos are said to represent justice. After learning about Medusa's story, you would agree that she deserved justice. The blindfolded Medusa image is usually tattooed to create awareness about assault and to ward off evil energy.
It is an impressive feminine tattoo that can mean different things like anger, resilience, freedom, and control.
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A simple way of getting the image of the gorgon tattooed is by requesting a bold line tattoo. Bold line tattoos don't take as much time as other tattoo designs. It is inexpensive and less painful, which makes this a great body art option for first-timers.
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The moon tattoo on the head of Medusa suggests that, after the cruel events that led to her being cursed by the goddess Athena, she underwent rebirth and transformation. According to the myth, it is believed that she became cruel and evil due to the pain she went through.
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Realistic tattoos can't be done by just anyone. This is why an experienced and well-versed tattoo artist is required if you want to recreate any of the tattoo designs featured here.
Although all the images featured here are inked in black, I suggest recreating yours with colors for a more real tattoo feel.
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A triangle tattoo represents wisdom and growth. Medusa had to become strong to survive the injustice she faced. This is why it's a great idea to draw the tattoo in a triangle, to represent her growth and rebirth.
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This Medusa tattoo on the hand shows that the tattoo of the gorgon works well on just about any body part.
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This tattoo of the gorgon and her snakes gives off a great mythical vibe. The image features an angry-looking medusa with three human hearts drawn below her snake hair and face.
The image is a representation of the brutal nature she developed after her rape. The hearts are joined with a rope, suggesting that Medusa wears the hearts of her victims without remorse. It can also be a way to show that became cold and heartless towards humanity.
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This is a great way to express how broken Medusa must have felt inside after what happened to her. The tattoo is one that'll require a highly skilled artist to recreate.
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The fate Medusa was doomed to be enough to make anyone feel angry and hopeless in life. So, the tattoo image featuring the gorgon looks ragged and defeated.
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Medusa's tattoo from the Greek myth is becoming increasingly popular due to its symbolism and significance. Now that you've satisfied your curiosity and learned about the tattoo meanings, would you be willing to recreate it?
