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If you were in a Soviet-era prison about oh, say 50 years ago, you’d have tattoos. A lot of them. But not just any tattoos, particular designs that were symbolic, that showed off your cred, and other interesting personal facts.

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    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    Like a LinkedIn profile, those tattoos would show your “achievements.”

    Tattoo artists were called “prickers”. They were in such high demand that prisoners would transfer into certain prisons just to be near a good artist

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    Images of a church or monastery meant that the person was a thief

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

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    The number of steeples on the church indicated the number of convictions.

    Real criminals got eyes tattooed on the chest. It meant they were a senior criminal

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    The eyes said, “I’m watching you.” Eyes on the lower abdomen suggested “homosexual” because the genitalia looked like a nose beneath the eyes, forming a “face”.

    A sailing ship tattoo meant that the owner is not committed to normal work

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

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    He’s a traveling thief, and likely to escape.

    A professional criminal wore two 8-pointed stars, just below the collar bones

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

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    Stars on the knees showed a hate for authority, meaning, “I bow to no one.”

    A bracelet tattoo on the wrist meant the owner had spent over 5 years in prison

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    Little crosses tattooed on the knuckles were tallies for trips to the “zone,” a.k.a. a prison or labor camp.

    Erotic tattoos were shaming tattoos

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    These images were meant for prisoners who’d lost a card game, collaborated with the authorities, or broke a gang’s code of honor.

    A tattoo of a skull with a knife through it signified that the person was a murderer

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

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    If a guy had a knife tattooed like it was stabbed through his throat, it meant not only that he killed someone, but also that he was a killer looking for work.

    Having a tattoo of Lenin or Stalin over your chest or vital organs could protect you

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    It was believed that prison guards would not shoot an image of a revered leader.

    Cat heads tattooed on the chest meant the bearer was cunning and deceptive

    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    The tattooed letters “KOT,” which is “cat” in Russian, meant “native prison resident.”

    Madonna and child – one of the most popular Russian prison tattoos

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    Here Are The Tattoos You Should Get If You're A Russian Criminal In The Soviet Era

    It could simply be a kind of good luck charm. It could also mean that the bearer had been in prison since childhood, or it can refer to loyalty towards a certain criminal gang.

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