Bees and the fruit of their labor (or “nectar” might be more accurate), as represented by the honey pot, have been important parts of human culture for millennia, dating back to ancient times and continuing even into our modern era.
It’s a small wonder, then, that so many people nowadays are interested in honey pot tattoos and similar designs. These tattoos can work as a complement to a bee tattoo or even as a standalone pattern. This article will fill you in on the history, meaning, symbolism, locations, and traits of honey pot tattoos.
What is the History of Honey Pot Tattoos?
Many ancient cultures had a high regard for bees and their products, including the Egyptians, Mayans, and ancient Greeks and Romans. For example, in Mesoamerica, the Maya people used the image of a bee to point to one of their deities, named Ah-Muzen-Kab, as well as to symbolize fertility and, thus, life itself.
In the ancient religion of Hinduism, several of the gods, including Vishnu and Indra, are associated with nectar and honey, and the name of the Hindu goddess Bhramari literally means “goddess of bees.” Bhramari was said to have defeated a large army of demons nearly singlehandedly by releasing a horde of bees against the enemies.
Meanwhile, farther west, the Muses of ancient Greco-Roman mythology were said to bestow the gift of eloquent speech, poetry, and wisdom by putting honey on the lips of mortals. In fact, the epic poet Homer reported that the gods and goddesses themselves sustained themselves on both honey and ambrosia, which is a honey wine believed to grant immortality and strength to the drinker.
Traveling south to Egypt, you could reasonably expect to find the bee being revered as a symbol of royal authority. In fact, since the sun god Ra was believed to have created bees with his tears, it is unsurprising that the ancient Egyptians would have had an especially high regard for the honey produced by a bee.
What Do Honey Pot Tattoos Symbolize?
Clearly, honey pots and bees are connected in the human imagination with loyalty, hard work, and flourishing. Throughout history, many cultures have viewed the honey pot as a symbol of material richness and prosperous fortune, such as abundant crops. This especially makes sense in light of honey’s status as a food fit for the gods of ancient mythology.
Bees themselves represent hard work, diligence, and regularity. Since honey has long been known to possess almost medicinal qualities, such as anti-inflammatory properties and support of the immune system, the honey pot that results from a bee’s hard work symbolizes many things:
- Sweetness
- Healing
- Life
- Joy
In Christianity, bees are iconic symbols of the virtues of persistence, a good work ethic, and orderliness, and the bee’s nectar demonstrates a sweet and charitable spirit. With such symbolic weight attached to bees and their honey, a honey pot tattoo is obviously a good symbol for all of those positive characteristics in the Christian tradition.
What Do Honey Pot Tattoos Mean?
Someone wearing a honey pot tattoo could have several reasons for doing so. Bees and honey pots are inherently cute—think of Winnie-the-Pooh or bees buzzing lazily over a field of flowers—and many people enjoy those appealing aesthetics.
Others may wish to demonstrate that they possess the same hard work and sweetness that goes hand-in-hand with honey pots. Who wouldn’t want to be thought of as a person with a great work ethic and a delightful personality?
Still others may have a religious faith that they wish to display. In his writings, St. Ambrose compared the Christian Church to a thriving beehive, and as a result, the Roman Catholic Church considers him the patron saint of beekeepers. Honey from a pot can also point to the sweet, undeserved kindness and generosity of God toward sinners.
Someone may also choose a honey pot tattoo because they already have a bee-related tattoo or are planning on getting one. Honey pots make an excellent complement for bee designs and can add extra meaning to the already-powerful image of a honey bee tattoo.
Where Do Honey Pot Tattoos Usually Go?
Since a honey pot tattoo isn’t an inherently complex design and doesn’t necessarily have to take up a lot of space, a honey pot tattoo is often located on a hand or forearm.
Less commonly, it may be situated on a lower leg (such as a calf or ankle) or a shoulder blade. It is rare to see a honey pot tattoo located on the face, chest, or back.
Most honey pot tattoos aren’t very large and are often located on parts of the body that can easily be concealed by a sock, sleeve, or other form of clothing.
Characteristics and Styles of Honey Pot Tattoos
Apart from the image of the honey pot itself, these kinds of tattoos almost always feature honey dripping down the sides of the pot. They may also feature vibrant, colorful flowers wrapping around or sprouting above the pot or a cute honey bee fluttering about the opening of the pot.
Many designs even display a certain yellow-furred, red-shirted bear sitting nearby with a paw that may or may not already be stained with gooey honey. Such a design is obviously more stylistic, though some honey pot tattoos do have more realistic-looking bear images.
Honey pot tattoos may also show a wooden honey spoon or wand dripping with honey and resting beside the pot itself. A few feature some writing, such as Pooh Bear’s scrawled “Hunny,” though text is rarer with these kinds of tattoos.
Conclusion
Honey pot tattoos can mean many things, such as displaying a person’s faith or other values, or they can be a fitting complement to a cute bee tattoo. You can expect a honey pot tattoo to be located on a person’s hand or arm, or sometimes their lower leg. These tattoos are packed with important
