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The caduceus, the staff of the two SNAKES, is the staff of the Greek god Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), who was the messenger of the gods. It is an ancient symbol, present as early as 2600 B.C.E. in Sumeria. Its resemblance to the staff of Asclepius, the healer (a staff with only one serpent), has resulted in a modern confusion of the two to the point where the caduceus (with WINGS for the swiftness of Hermes) has been adopted as a symbol for physicians and the healing arts.

Candles symbolize light and, by extension, enlightenment or the answer to a Problem The candle is also used in many different types of religious rites the world over. The ancient Greeks offered candles to the gods of the Underworld and the gods of fertility, exploiting some of their phallic symbolism. Flickering and casting a gentle and glowing light, they are also associated with purity and innocence. In tattoo imagery, as in other art forms, the candle is not typically the main subject of a design but rather a part of a larger theme.

Military artillery such as the cannon have been used in warfare since the fifteenth century. Tattoos of a cannon might carry very specific meanings such as that of a war memorial or wartime service, but they are also part of the larger group of weapon tattoos of all sorts, which in general are meant to project strength and intimidation.

The playing cards that are used in tattoo imagery are generally either the ace or one of the face cards (the KING OF HEARTS, for example, or the king, queen, or jack of any suit). Many times they are shown in "winning" combinations such as four aces, a royal flush, or a sum of twenty one. As such, they are symbols of good luck and also fate.

The castle developed around the ninth century in medieval Europe as a stronghold, generally the residence of nobility. In heraldry, it symbolizes both grandeur and solidity. In tattoo art, castles are many times incorporated into fantasy and Gothic scenes creating a tone for a larger tattoo piece, setting the scene in some distant time period, or perhaps dominating some fantastic futuristic landscape. Whether under a cloudy but moonlit night or perched high on some sunlit mountain, the castle invites us into a story that is already under way.

The symbolic meaning of the cat varies wildly across the globe and through time. It has been an ill omen in Japan, a stoic that is unmoved by the death of the BUDDHA in Buddhism, the form of a beneficent goddess in Egypt (BASTET), a creature distrusted by the Celts, given seven lives by Muslims, a symbol of cunning for the Pawnee of North America, and attributed with clairvoyant behavior in central Africa. Today, cat imagery in tattoo is dominated by depictions of household pets. As pets, we associate them with playfulness, some aloofness, and a great deal of affection. As seen in the animals themselves, their images span the great variety of the species, in both form and color.