Why among the inhabitants of the Balkans have become popular tattoos on the hands (6 photos)

From the ancient Thracians to the present day: the Balkan tattoo tradition.





In recent years, the inhabitants of the Balkan Peninsula, especially from Bosnia and Herzegovina began to decorate their hands with tattoos. Whimsical patterns, bracelet designs and symbols are all depicted on the wrists of the Balkans. However, this is not just a fashion or a way beautify your body. Such drawings are deeply symbolic, this is a tribute traditions that are more than one millennium old.

For many nations, the drawing on the skin had almost sacred meaning and was the norm.

The inhabitants of the Balkans also had their own tradition, it is very ancient. More ancient Greek historians mentioned that the Thracians, who lived on the territory of the Balkans, there were drawings on the hands, body, face.



Thracians with tattoos killing Orpheus, fragment on an antique vase

These tattoos were not just decoration, they served a talisman. The locals call them sikanye, literally the word sicanje translates as "stab". Initially, these drawings were applied by mothers to their daughters, to create a tattoo they used a mixture of soot, saliva, chest milk. The drawing was applied not only to the wrists, sometimes they were decorated with chest and even forehead - places that were visible to people. mother diligently drew patterns, putting a deep meaning into them: protection, blessing, beauty. This tradition is about four thousand years old, and maybe even more: historians found needles in ancient graves to create tattoo.



Surprisingly, with the advent of Christianity, such amulets have not disappeared, they have received a new reading. For example, in pre-Christian tradition, one of the most popular drawings was a sign, resembling a cross, and it symbolized the 4 cardinal directions. With coming Catholicism, this drawing turned into a roof - a real cross. The Balkans usually applied drawings on the days of the spring solstice, in the Christian period of the rite was chosen corresponding to this time of year Church holiday - St. Joseph's Day, which is celebrated on March 19.



Bosnian woman

The tradition changed slightly in the 15th century, but it also had deep meaning: mothers began to make tattoos not only for their daughters, but also sons. There was a reason for this, quite tragic for local families: in during the Ottoman era, boys were taken and taken to Istanbul to they served the ruler and his entourage. The boys could never return home, but still in the mother's hearts lived the hope that the tattoo will protect them. If the son ever returns to his small homeland, he will always be recognized by the drawings on his wrists.



Croatian artist Oko

Sikanye was popular until the middle of the last century, but after World War II and the formation of Yugoslavia, it quickly disappeared. The world has become different, modernization, urbanization and other phenomena contributed to the rejection of even the most ancient traditions. In the second half centuries, women hid their tattoos, and young girls refused them fill. For a long time, drawings could only be found on the hands of old grandmothers who were blessed with a drawing of their mother in the first half of the 20th century centuries.



Photo for a project dedicated to the preservation of the tradition of sikanya in the Balkans

But time does not stand still, the Balkan youth belongs to this traditions differently. There was a period when no one even suspected the existence of a sikanya, but in recent years the attitude towards this tradition has changed. Now many people (mostly from Bosnia and Herzegovina) decorate their hands with tattoos, because for them it is a way to glorify identity of its people, its heritage.