The placement of a tattoo on the body has almost as much symbolism as the content of the tattoo design. Although tattoos on the hands, especially the palms, are not a common sight; tattoos inked into the skin of the hands have a lot of meaning simply because of their placement.

Palm Tattoos take their Meaning from History

Hands are one of the most important tool in human evolution, along with intelligence and creativity. In ancient cave paintings, hand prints made up a large portion of the tribal rock art. Even at this early stage of human development, hands were recognized as being important. They allowed us to grasp objects, tie knots and create tools. The appearance of hands in cave art is extremely significant – they are one of the most recognizable symbols of humanity. Tattoos on the hands are a celebration of the link between the hands and creativity, with palm tattoos being an especially poignant symbol of how important hands are to human beings.

Two palm tattoos that combine to become one butterfly. Each palm tattoo depicts a butterfly in profile, so they look good even without the other palm tattoo. [source]

Hands in art were used as a way to express emotions and social standing. Hands held out with the palms facing upward revealed that a submissive person held no weapons and was not a threat, whereas a hand that was raised, ready to strike another person, could become a weapon in itself and therefore belonged to someone who was or wished to become the dominant person. So it is not just the appearance of a hand in art that is symbolic, but how it is presented; as a peace offering, blessing or threat.

A tiny tattoo of a paisley bird in the palm of the hand. Small tattoos like this aren’t as visible as a large, full palm tattoo. [source]

A tattoo on the back of the hand means that a person will generally show the tattoo to others with the palm facing downwards. The palm is hidden and therefore the person could be holding any manner of things. A tattoo in the palm of the hand means that the tattoo owner will show the ink to others with the palm of the hand facing upwards, a gesture of truth, honesty, peace and supplication.

Negative and positive palm tattoo designs in black ink. Clear designs of a solid color are the best option for palm tattoos, as these are easier to re-tattoo in the future. [source]

Buddhist paintings also contain a wealth of hand symbolism. One of the Buddhist hand poses that most people will recognize is the Gesture of Meditation. This is when the subject of the painting sits with their hands in their lap, palms facing upwards. Hands are symbols of creativity, work and general busy-ness. When the hands are posed with the palms facing upwards, it means that the person has stilled their body and allowed themselves to be open to matters of an emotional or spiritual nature.

A tattoo on the palm of the hand showing a mandala flower design. Mandalas are used in Buddhist art as a symbol of spiritual balance. [source]

Tattoo Art in the Palm of Your Hand

Palmistry, palm reading or chiromancy is the art of foretelling the future through examining the palm of the hand. This practice is a part of almost every ancient culture, although it differs from one area of the world to another. Those who believe in palmistry claim that it is possible to tell the future by “reading” the lines and shapes of a person’s hand. Each area of the palm has a meaning; some areas are linked to the other planets in our solar system and therefore have an astrological meaning, while other areas are linked to a time of life or common life experience such as birth, death and marriage. Tattoos can be placed on the palm of the hand according to palmistry ideas, as a symbol of luck in a certain area, or a permanent symbol of protection.

A palm tattoo of a crab, a symbol of the astrological sign Cancer. The tattoo is placed on the mount of Venus, a palmistry term for the fleshy area between the base of the thumb and the wrist. Venus is both a planet and the Roman goddess of love, beauty and femininity. [source]

The left and right hands are believed to have different meanings. The left hand is believed to be passive, as the majority of people favor their right hands to perform one-handed tasks. The left hand is a symbol of justice, the moon, emotions and is the receiving hand. The right hand is the assertive hand, symbolizing the sun, mercy, logic and the act of giving. These attributes can vary according to culture but appear to be the most widely-held beliefs about the difference between the left and right hands. The palm of the hand is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body, which means that a tattoo in the palm can become damaged with scar tissue.

A palm tattoo of a cuckoo clock that stretches from the palm of the hand to the wrist. In tattoo design, clocks are a symbol of time, mortality and memory. [source]

The meanings of each hand can add extra meaning to a tattoo design on that hand. A tattoo on the palm of the left hand, for example, has a stronger link with the heart than a tattoo on the palm of the right hand would have. If the tattoo design has a social message within it, it would be more powerfully displayed on the right hand, as this is the hand of giving and creating.

This palm tattoo design is of a heart made out of a knotted loop of rope. Like Celtic knots, this design has no beginning or end. The cyclic nature of the design gives this tattoo the meaning of eternal love. Because it is placed on the right hand, it represents the wearer’s promise to the world to eternally express love. [source]

The palm of the hand is one of the most painful areas of the body to get tattooed. There is virtually no fat in the skin of the palm, and the area is incredibly sensitive because it is filled with nerve-endings. It is estimated that the palm of the hand is around four times more sensitive than the palm or the calf, meaning that a tattoo on the palm of the hand is about four times more painful than a tattoo on the shoulder or calf. The skin on the palm of your hand regrows quickly, so palm tattoos fade fast. They will need to be re-inked every few months or on a yearly basis.

A tattoo of the word hope on this woman’s palm – a lovely reminder to keep your hopes up. [source]

Before getting a tattoo on the palm of your hand, consider when and how the tattoo will be displayed in your daily life. A palm tattoo will be especially visible when you wave, shake someone’s hand or give and receive something from someone else. A decorative tattoo on the palm of your hand will probably not offend most people (unless they simply don’t like tattoos), whereas a tattoo design with a strong statement may result in you hiding the palm of your hand in some social situations. Hidden hands are a symbol of secretiveness, lies and guilt, so you may want to think very carefully before choosing the design for a palm tattoo.

A highly detailed tree tattoo on the palm of this guy’s hand uses the line between the wrist and palm as the line of the ground. The roots of the tree reach towards the heart, meaning that everything this person creates with their hands has its roots in their heart. [source]