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You may not know or care much about the Russian mob right now, but as Oscar night approaches, I can guarantee you’ll be hearing more about them. That’s largely because of Viggo Mortensen’s stunning, Best Actor-nominated performance as Nikolai in Eastern Promises, in which he plays the henchman of a Russian mobster who favors him over his own son. It’s harrowing, bloody and surprising, and features some very affecting scenes of Viggo receiving the intricate tattoos that bind him to the Russian mob for life. The tattoos reveal his background, beliefs and criminal history, becoming a coded language all their own, which only a special few can read.
Even if we can’t understand what they mean, though, we can appreciate their strange beauty. I find these pictures are gritty, but affecting.
(Thanks to EnglishRussia for the link.)
If anyone has any theories as to their meanings, please chime in! I’ve heard that tattoos of Lenin or Stalin are supposed to be protective, in some talismanic way, and representations of dangerous animals attest to the dangerousness of their owner.
I’ve heard it’s not so much what the tattoos are as where they are. What I think is interesting is that criminals may be forcibly tattooed on the forehead or another public area with an embarrassing (or pornographic) image, and then are forced to pay the tattooist.
posted by Sophia on 2-8-2008 at 9:44 am
Wikipedia actually has a decent list of meanings (Wikipedia listing Criminal_Tattoo).
I’ve seen an episode of “Taboo” on National Geographic that interviews some researchers about Russian Prison Tattoos and it seems to be on re-runs every now and then.
If you’re really interested, there is actually a book called “Russian Prison Tattoo Encylopedia” by Danzig Baldaev, ISBN 0-9550061-2-0.
There’s even a documentary called “Mark of Cain - On Russian Criminal Tattoos” available on DVD.
posted by psychocellochica on 2-8-2008 at 10:11 am
have no idea what any of them mean, but the pose in the second picture is.teh.hawt!
posted by Shelly on 2-8-2008 at 10:30 am
Russian prisoners would get tattoos of Stalin and Lenin on their chest because they figured firing squad members would not be willing to shoot their images and would aim for a spot where the prisoner stood a better chance of survival.
A butterfly on your chest was good to have too because it meant you were a good escape partner. Often escaping prisoners would bring along a “cow” which is another prisoner that they would kill and eat if they could not find any other food but a butterfly meant immunity from that fate.
posted by Patrick on 2-8-2008 at 11:02 am
What’s so “hawt” about pic #2? He’s smelling his own armpit.
posted by Byrd Dawg on 2-8-2008 at 11:26 am
Ransom-
You always have the most interesting subject matter in your postings! Please continue your eclectic tastes.
I am a huge fan!
Thanks…
posted by maxvelvet on 2-8-2008 at 12:34 pm
“Russian Criminal Tattoo” by Danzig Baldaev is one of the most fascinating and engaging reads you’ll find on the subject. Explains all you would ever want to know about the meaning of the tattoos and why they are associated with the modern-day mob.
posted by pearly on 2-8-2008 at 1:07 pm
coming back from seeing this movie at the theatre, I hastened to the computer to research them. SO fascinating. Anyways, there’s a wikipedia entry, but I’m not entirely sold on it’s accuracy. I’m definitely hoping to get “Russian Criminal Tattoo” though, I’ve heard good things about it.
posted by marianne on 2-8-2008 at 6:33 pm
I know a few of them, I think.The spider in its web means sme kind of drug addiction and the cathedral or church the number of domes represent the number of prison sentences or years incarcerated, i believe.
posted by CEBEP on 2-20-2008 at 8:31 pm
That final picture, with the man with the cat on the left and the face with the man with the beard means the man gets sexually molestered in prison. A bearded mans face represents a ‘front bum’ and is used to indicate he is sexually abused in prison.
Nice post.
posted by Aussie Daniel on 3-12-2008 at 7:02 am
this is regarding the comment posted by Aussie Daniel on 3-12-2008. the “bearded man” is lenin it this tattoo protected the prisoner from being shot or stabbed in that area of the body (in this case its over the heart of the prisoner). also the cat means that the man was/ is a thief.
posted by Tim on 6-1-2008 at 4:43 am
Tim had a point there
i have 6 cats on me
they Call me Kash
i dont think this website should excist
especially EPEBAH
the eagle tattoo
vor v zakone
the cat lenin the claws the cross
the church.
posted by Armianski kash on 7-6-2008 at 4:59 pm