The eagle is quite simply the king of the BIRDS. In symbolism written or pictorial, it is representative of the mightiest rulers, the highest gods, and the greatest heroes. In surviving texts from ancient Babylon, the deceased king is borne to the heavens by an eagle. In many instances, the eagle embodies lofty aspirations and higher spiritual achievement. In other cases, it symbolizes strength and glory and even substitutes for the SUN in Arctic and some Native American mythology. Because they are also birds of prey, eagles have come to be associated with clarity of vision and thus insight as well. Adopted as the national bird of the U.S. in 1782, the American or bald eagle has also become one of the most popular of the patriotic tattoos done in this country. It is impossible to capture the multitude of meanings that eagles have acquired and equally impossible to describe the great range of expression that eagles have inspired in tattoo art. Tattoo Symbol Meaning www.tattoobody.org