This is Courtney’s tattoo, which reads “Dream” in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Tengwar script.

I was raised on all of his books and they were the ones that first taught me out to dream big and dream wildly, but also to never stop dreaming those things. I think that a small part of me was always able to retain some of my childhood because of his writing. It seemed only fitting to write it on me somewhere.

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my_tattoo

Jim Genzano explains his tattoo:

The tattoo says “Elendil,” the name of a character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, written in Tolkien’s Tengwar script.  In the Elvish language Quenya, the name means “elf friend” or “star lover.” Elendil’s name written in this fashion was often used as his badge and a device on his seals.  I got the tattoo – my first – as a memorial tattoo after the death of my friend Star.  I liked the “star” connection, and also Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings had a huge effect on me growing up and is still my favorite series of novels.  Star was also a fan.

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May 04

Elvish

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lotr

This tattoo also belongs to Kristen and is a tribute to Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

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Sep 13

Strength

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This tattoo was submitted by SpiffySilpion, and is “the word ‘strength‘ spelled out in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Elvish script Tengwar.”

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Jul 18

Elvish

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Elvish Tattoo

This tattoo is the owner’s full name in Elvish.

- Inspired by The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

(source)

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Jun 30

Elvish

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elvish tattoo

This tattoo was submitted by Sarah Bohr:

My tattoo is a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien, whom I’ve had a lifelong relationship with through his books. I first read The Hobbit when I was four and five (it took me a while) and Tolkien has been a major influence in my life ever since. It’s also a tribute to my family – the outer ring of the tattoo is the language Quenya written in the Tengwar script, and is the first and middle names of myself and my immediate family. I included my own name because I am named after a close aunt and great grandmother. I translated and designed the tattoo myself, and my baby brother (a 23 year-old professional tattoo artist) did the inkwork.

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Elvish Tattoo

This tattoo belongs to Donna:

The tattoo is written in Sindarin using Tengwar (Tengwar Parmaite font) and reads:
Eru cân vanadh nîn
‘God commands my destiny’

- From The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

(source)

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  • Welcome to Contrariwise

    This is a website about literary tattoos. That is, tattoos based on books, poems, lyrics, and many other literary sources.

    My email address is jen@contrariwise.org, so send your comments / suggestions / praise / hate that way. If you want to submit your own tattoo (please do!), see this page.