Have you ever wondered what Lady Justice signifies, or better yet- have you witnessed someone done a cool tattoo that depicts her? Lady Justice has been a long time symbol of judicial strength and fairness and holds scales, a sword and is usually blindfolded. It also has an interesting history and her image can make for a beautiful tattoo.
Lady Justice is a goddess figure originating from Greece, Egypt and Rome that means to signify justice, fairness without corruption and equal administration of the law. This goddess can be designed in a variety of ways, from modern styles to more ancient, primitive styles. These types of tattoos are associated with people who are moralistic.
After learning all about this ancient matriarch, you’ll be wanting to sport a Lady Justice tattoo too!
What Is The History Of Lady Justice Tattoos?
The history of Lady Justice is a long one- she is the conglomerate of the Roman goddess of Justice Iustitia and Greek goddess Themis. Historically, tattoos depicting Lady Goddess are worn by those vested in morality, inner goodness/justice and honor. She has typically been shown blindfolded to represent her ability to unbiasedly judge.
The concept of Lady Justice is very ancient and dates back to Greek and Egyptian times. Lady Justice is considered to be a combination of goddesses that represents virtues within the judicial system. One goddess Lady Justice represents is Themis, a Greek goddess that represents order, law and justice.
Another goddess Lady Justice represents is Ma’at, an Egyptian goddess that represents order and carries a sword and the Feather of Truth. Ma’at symbolized truth in the ancient Egyptian world. Themis, the Greek goddess mentioned earlier, also had a daughter named Dike, which translates to justice, and she carries a pair of scales.
Interestingly, civilizations have customarily always obtained their moral guidance and judicial prowess from divine sources; be it through God, the universe, the Earth or some other entity. Greeks and Roman goddesses of justice are believed to have been derived from beliefs such as this.
What Do Lady Justice Tattoos Symbolize?
Lady Justice tattoos symbolize a great amount of different concepts, starting with the balance scales which represent impartiality and the responsibility judicial representatives have to fairly consider all evidence presented to them. Each side of the scales represent both sides of evidence that could be presented.
The sword that Lady Justice holds symbolizes the enforcement of the law, power and respect. It being an unsheathed sword symbolizes a thorough and transparent judicial system that is able to stand by its laws and remain steadfast, yet be swift. Being that the blade is double-edged, this too represents that the verdict can go either way.
Lady Justice is also blindfolded, which signifies that the judicial system remains unbiased, objective and impartial to the law and their decisions. The blindfold can also serve as a symbol of the judicial system’s inability to become accessible to temptations or bribery. The blindfold also ensures that decisions are not based upon looks.
What some may not know is that Lady Justice was never depicted with a blindfold covering her eyes until the 16th/17th century. This is because blindfolds in the ancient time were usually viewed as symbols of deception rather than ways to depict impartiality. In earlier times, sight was more valued than being blind because it symbolized foresight.
What Do Lady Justice Tattoos Mean?
Lady Justice tattoos can mean a few things depending on the way they are drawn but almost always mean justice is worth believing in and practicing due to its numerous virtues. Lady Justice can be used to convey meanings such as the wearer is fair, or possibly believes in the judicial system as well as lawmaking.
Some Lady Justice tattoos are drawn with only the goddess’ face and blindfold on, sometimes holding a sword and scales but with more modernized hair and plumped lips. Tattoos showing her in this light have obscure meaning, apart from the fact that the wearer admires Lady Justice and the judicial system and that justice is still relevant.
In all, Lady Justice tattoos mean that the judicial system is powerful as well as the justice it deals is swift. Most people that have this tattoo want to convey the message that justice is worth fighting for and the courts work if ruled unbiasedly. Women could also want this tattoo to put a spotlight on women’s rights.
Characteristics And Styles Of Lady Justice Tattoos
Lady Justice tattoos come with all sorts of characteristics and styles- some depict the ancient sculptures without her blindfold and of more primitive artwork in nature. Other tattoos focus on complementing Lady Justice with thicker and more feminine lips, long and wispy hair and a pretty face.
Other depictions of Lady Justice include using ripped up cloths or paper as her blindfold. Some tattoos include human skulls, bats and giant floral flowers to accent her background in images, but generally speaking she looks the same no matter how she is depicted- serious, uncaring and ready to take action.
Where Do Lady Justice Tattoos Usually Go?
Lady Justice tattoos can go anywhere, including fronts of knees, thighs, on backs, and sides. No matter where these tattoos are placed, Lady Justice’s somber attitude and swift, fair ruling will belong. Legs, backs and torsos provide the most area for large depictions of Lady Justice, while arms are perfect for small to medium sized images.
Summary
Through this article, we’ve discovered that Lady Justice is not just one person in history, it’s a combination of multiple Greek, Roman and Egyptian goddesses made into one. With so much symbolism in one tattoo, justice lovers can’t go wrong. These tattoos can be placed anywhere on the body and are guaranteed to look great no matter what.
