Depending on the location on the body, the stars convey a prisoner’s status. When worn on the knees, the stars are a sign of a prisoner who commands respect. The implied me… See more

In the 1900s, prisoners believed placing tattooed portraits of Lenin and Stalin on their chests would protect them from a firing squad. The authorities would not shoot at any image… See more

Tigers, leopards or snarling wolves are called Oskals, the Russian word for ‘Big Grin.’ These tattoos indicate aggression or hostility toward the authorities. See more

The spider crawling on the right shoulder is indicative of a thief. If the spider is crawling up the shoulder, the thief is still active. If the spider is crawling down, this means the thief is don… See more

Cathedrals, or Kremlins, represent time spent incarcerated and are iconic Russian prison tattoos. The more domes an inmate’s church has indicates the number of sentence… See more