image creditTraditional tattoo designs, like anchors, swallows, and nautical stars, are popping up on the arms and ankles of kids in every hip neighborhood from Brooklyn to Berlin, Sao Paulo to San Francisco. Yet these young land lubbers probably don't even know the difference between a schooner and a ship, much less where the term 'groggy' comes from.
In fact, contemporary tattooing can be traced to the 15th century. Tattoos can't be lost or stolen and they don't encumber an already heavily burdened traveler, so it's not a surprise that they became inextricably linked with sailors.
(thanks Ben)
