The oak nut or better known as the acorn is the seed of the oak tree. We have seen these little nuts our whole life. Little did we know these seeds actually had meaning behind them.
They aren’t just meals for squirrels or things we throw at each other when we were kids. The acorn is an image that is old with a great deal of symbolism. This is why it isn’t uncommon to see an acorn tattoo on the body of a tattoo enthusiast.
As mentioned, the acorn tattoo carries a lot of meaning and it isn’t just there for looks. In this post we plan to talk a bit about the characteristics of the acorn and what it symbolizes whether it is in a dream or tattooed on your skin. By the end of this post, we hope you have a better understanding of the meaning behind the acorn tattoo and what it represents for the person with the tattoo.
About the Acorn
Acorns play a crucial role in forest ecology when there are many oak trees around or they are the dominant tree in the area. Depending on the number of acorns mean there is a great deal of stress or great abundance of animals in the area that feed on this nut.
Acorns are a large part of the diet of small mammals, mice, other rodents, jays, ducks, pigeons and woodpeckers to name a few. In countries like Portugal, England and Spain, pigs are let loose to gorge themselves on acorns to fatten up for harvest. However, too many acorns can be toxic because of their tannins for some animals.
Acorns are such a popular choice for food for animals because they are large in size which makes them easy to consume. In addition to their ease of consumption, acorns are packed full of nutrients. Acorns are known to contain large amounts of protein, fats and carbs as well as other important nutrients.
The tannins of the acorn are what make it hard on some animals to consume. High levels of tannins make it difficult for some animals to metabolize protein. This is why these animals will choose acorns with less amounts of tannins. Other animals choose to let ground water clear out some of the tannins. Jays and squirrels are amongst the animals that process the acorn in this fashion.
The main thing to take away from the characteristics of the acorn is their source of nourishment for many animals. This coincides with a lot of the symbolism of the acorn which we will talk about next.
Acorn Tattoo Symbolism
The acorn tattoo symbolism is powerful and covers a great deal of aspects of life. For instance, the acorn is well known to be a symbol of potential and strength. In addition to these characteristics, the acorn was a symbol of immortality and fertility in Celtic and Nordic culture. The oak tree was Thor’s life tree. In old times, druids believed they could see the future when consuming acorns.
The acorn tattoo also represents growth and discovery. Because of the way the acorn nourishes many beings in the animal kingdom, the acorn tattoo represents growth and spiritual nourishment. The acorn tattoo is also a reminder to look within yourself and discover the seed of something great to come. This thing you are looking for might not reveal itself for a long time, but the seed is planted and the discovery of this might lead you to great things.
Some also say the acorn symbolizes youthfulness, power and prosperity. As you can see, the acorn tattoo is an extremely powerful and positive symbol and the acorn itself provides life to a great deal of beings on Earth.
Acorns are sometimes worn as jewelry or engraved in other keepsakes to invoke its power. If you want to keep this symbol around and take on the traits of the acorn forever, an acorn tattoo is a great way to go. By looking at the acorn tattoo, you will be forever reminded about the positive attributes this see represents.
Acorn Tattoo Variations
The acorn tattoo can be represented in different ways. It is up to the person getting the tattoo to let their creative juices flow when deciding on how they want their acorn tattoo portrayed. Below are a few examples of our favorite variations of the acorn tattoo.
Single Acorn Tattoo
The single acorn tattoo or just the acorn by itself is a simple and effective way to get your acorn tattoo. The message is simple in this tattoo and you are invoking the power of the acorn by this tattoo. You might want to add some color to this tattoo, but it isn’t necessary. The acorn is a very recognizable symbol so whether it is the color of a real acorn or not, people will know what you have inked on your body.
Oakleaf and Acorn Tattoo
The oakleaf and acorn tattoo is also a popular version of this tattoo. Right away you get the vibe of a parent and their child. Because the oak tree creates the acorn, the image of the oakleaf and acorn symbolize a bond between a parent and child. The parent raises their child in hopes that are able to contribute society and make an impact on how things are. In the same way, the oak tree is releasing its seed into nature to help feed a large amount of the local animal population.
Squirrel with Acorn Tattoo
You’ve also got the squirrel with acorn tattoo. This tattoo could be changed to involve any animal that feeds on acorns, but this image is a familiar one to most of as we have all seen squirrels burying acorns in the yard to get them ready to eat later. This tattoo continues the theme of growth and nourishment.
You can go in a lot of different directions with this tattoo, but the overall idea will always be the same. The acorn is a source of nourishment for many of our furry and feathered friends in the wild.
We hope this article gave you a better understanding about the acorn and got you a step closer to getting your very own acorn tattoo.