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Prisoners get the tattoo to commemorate someone who had died while they were locked away, or simply to represent the time they've served behind bars. But in recent years, the significance of the teardrop has softened. Until the 1990s, the tattoo typically meant that the inmate had killed someone. (Image credit: Flickr user K Sandberg) The Teardrop: A Prisoner's Tale An entire gen re of tattoos can be found behind penitentiary walls, and one of the most famous is the teardrop. Today, most military navies still catalog their sailor's body art for the same reason. If a sailor went overboard, the tattoos were a lingering proof of his identity, should the body be recovered. During that time, almost all sailors received a "sailor protection certificate," which carefully documented the tattoos on their bodies. But in the late 18th century, the tattoo also served a practical purpose. The tried-and-true symbol conveys the bearer's love for the sea. Popeye has one on each arm, and Sir Winston Churchill sported one on his right bicep. The Anchor: A Sailor's ID Card Nothing says "ahoy!" quite like an anchor tattoo. During the Victorian era, the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia, Prince and Princess Waldemar of Denmark, King Oscar II of Sweden, and Queen Olga of Greece all went under the needle. Other royal families soon followed the trend. Then, on his way back to England, the prince stopped by the same Holy Land tattoo parlor his father had visited and got a Jerusalem Cross of his own. His son, the future King George V, followed in his father's footsteps and got a dragon tattoo while visiting Japan. During a trip to the Holy Land, the then-Prince of Wales had a Jerusalem Cross inked on his arm.
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The Jerusalem Cross and the Dragon: A Royal Fad England's King E dward VII started the royal tattoo craze in 1862.
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The real stories behind popular body-art symbols.