by cagridurmaz

Done in seconds, yet tells a story of a lifetime, the three dots tattoo holds a truly intriguing meaning. Initially, it was recognized amongst the gangsters serving time in prison. Today the three dots tattoo is a globally known symbol, yet only a few can live up to it. 

If you see this kind of tattoo, you better believe you’ve come across a gang member or ex-prisoner. Three words and three dots — because we all know that there’s no crazier life than the gangster life. 

Fun Fact #1: Ice Cube has a three dots tattoo on his face, or that’s what we’ve thought of at least. Even though his rap songs scream “gangsta,” he was never a gang member.

Ice cube three dots tattoo

His three dots are, in reality, moles that are precisely aligned to create a triangle. He even felt compelled to clarify the air and reveal the facts on Twitter. He didn’t choose the thug life, thug life chose him, right? 

Where Is It Placed? 

People with a triangular three dots tattoo are truly living their lives on the edge. They wear their tattoo like a badge for their fast life. Placed under the corner of the eye, knuckles, and hands, these people have no intention of hiding who they are. Better yet, they want to be easily recognized amongst other gang members and prisoners. 

Luckily enough, the tattoo is so small that no matter where you put it, you won’t feel a thing while putting it. The tattoo’s pain level is almost unoticeable, as opposed to other heavily detailed tattoos. That’s why it’s placed in such a visible place so that everyone can see it and knows what’s up. 

“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” — Amen 

In addition to the “gangsta life,” many criminals ask for God’s protection for the life they chose to live. Hence, the three dots tattoo is also a religious symbol indicating the father, son, and the holy spirit. 

Gang members live each minute like it’s their last, thus they turn to religion to shield them throughout the day. For gangsters living on the streets or behind bars, each day is a blessing — they are just grateful to be alive. In the words of Ice-T, “My life is violent but violent is life, peace is a dream, reality is a knife…”

Three Dots Tattoo Will Shield You From Evil Spirits & Evil Eyes — Indians Say 

Indian women found a way to put an end to the bad vibes. They’ve put their faith into the three dotted symbol to shield their beauty and wellbeing. 

Indian women put the three dots tattoo on either the cheeks or chin. Still, not every woman wearing this symbols means that she’s inked with a permanent tattoo. Some women use black mascara as well. In any case, they have a deep belief in the symbol’s supernatural abilities. They even placed it on newborns to shield them from unfriendly stares and ill desires. This is an old practice, but we are confident that some ladies still wear it as a protective sign. 

Five Dots Tattoo — Is It the Same? 

by jingstattoo

The three dots tattoo is by no means related to the five dots tattoo. While the three dots tattoo represents one’s crazy lifestyle, the five dots tattoo shares another story — a time done in prison. 

The four dots are known as the quincunx, which indicates the four prison walls, while the fifth dot represents the prisoner locked into those four walls. These two tattoos are different in meaning, but we can all agree that their minimalistic design shares a meaning greater than any other detailed tattoo out there. 

Placed between the thump and index finger, the five dots tattoo has numerous implications than a life spent behind bars, such as: 

• Fertility symbol, a reminder to treat and protect women with an utmost respect
• A symbol of recognition amongst Romani people 
• Five dots may indicate a circle of close friends
• For some, the five dots tattoo mean that they stand alone against the world
• A symbol of 15 Street Locos, a Northern Californian gang
• For the Portuguese, the five dot tattoo indicates the five shields in the Portuguese flag

Fun fact #2:Thomas Eddison had a five dots tattoo placed on his forearm. Of course that he did — he is, after all, the inventor of tattoos. He invented the electric pen, which evolved into the tattoo pen we use today. Unfortunately, no one knows what his tattoo represented, but conspiracy theorists speculate that the dots symbolize Eddison’s wife’s name written in Morse code.

Bottom Line: Three Dots Tattoo Isn’t for You if You Can’t Live up to Its True Meaning 

Do you have what it takes to wear this symbol? Choose the placement wisely because that’s the only thing that makes a difference in the meaning. At the end of the day everybody makes mistakes, and luckily there’s a way to hide your tattoo, but what’s the point of living la vida loca if you are too afraid to showcase your tattoo, right?