People in this world are so much different from one another, and each of them carries a little bit of weirdness within them. As a result, there are so many strange tattoos that people are deciding to wear. The tattoo of a birdcage belongs to this category. It’s not that this image is unusual or weird, but it is difficult to determine what it represents.
In reality, the tattoo of a birdcage holds a lot of meanings. The meaning might depend on the bird that in the cage, the shape of the cage itself, and whether the door is open or not. Cages have been used for centuries. Due to that, it is no surprise that people often choose to wear on their bodies.
History of the Birdcage
Birdcage Tattoo Meaning
For a very long time, the birdcage was not only used for keeping birds but also as a metaphor and symbol. If we start from the time of the hunter-gatherer to times like today, the birdcage is an all-encompassing symbol which can be used in explaining many different cultural symbols.
There are lots of people who use the birdcage as an analogy to say that we are all caged up in our lives. In other words, through these tattoos, we are often trying to represent the fact that we are all the birds, and society is the cage. We are doing things that society makes us, and this is the cage we are all bound by. No matter whether we live in a spotless home or an apartment, we all deal with the everyday battles of this life, and we are always trying to develop or come out of our cage.
Due to the ability of the birds to fly, this tattoo is often looked at as a sign of freedom. Birds are also associated with traits like creativity and inspiration as they flow with the wind. When birds are captured and caged, that gives the meaning of a loss of freedom to this image.
On the other side, cages are more complicated than that, and we have an unclear relationship with them. No matter how much a cage can be symbolic of keeping us from being free, at the same time, it defends us from things or people that we don’t want to come across. This means that being in a cage isn’t always a bad thing, and much of it depends on if the trade-off is worth it to us. If we are locked in the house during the birth of a new child, we are at a weak state and need the defense of the cage, and this is why it is significant to understand the context of the tattoo.
Birdcage Tattoo Variations
People who think that when it comes to birdcage tattoos, there is no big of a choice are very much wrong. To have a tattoo means that you have the power to decide what is going to stand for. If you wish to add other symbolism to change up the meaning, that’s good. If you want to insert something to strengthen the idea of what you are trying to portray, that is also splendid. Below are a few ideas of different birdcage tattoos that you can choose from.
Birdcage with Door Open Tattoo
This tattoo design of a birdcage with an open door symbolizes the ability to be free if you want that. The cage is there if you need it for security and protection, but you can come and go as you please. It might also symbolize being released. However, there is more of a connection to the next tattoo design.
Birdcage with Bird Sitting on Top or Flying Away
This tattoo design with a birdcage and a bird flying out or sitting on top is a symbol of being released. This tattoo is excellent for you if you wish to represent overcoming something in your life that has held you stuck in one place. Moreover, this can be used to symbolize a literal piece where you are being locked up like jail. The whole idea behind this design is being let go flying free again, and you are allowed to use your complete creativity in the process of creating it.
Birdcage in a Tree Tattoo
The birdcage in a tree stand for more than just the cage itself, but also whatever kind of trees it is included. This image might be used for purely aesthetic purposes or for the type of tree that is included and its symbolism. For instance, an oak tree is a symbol of power and wisdom, so combining it with the birdcage with a door open might symbolize the retrieval of your strength in some way.
As we said before, there are a lot of other designs of birdcages, and these are only mentioned to give you some ideas to think about and to understand that there is more to this tattoo then it seems at first sight. You can always create your own and find the perfect meaning to attach to it.
