Five dots tattoo

The five dots tattoo is a tattoo of five dots arranged in a quincunx, usually on the outer surface of the hand, between the thumb and the index finger. The tattoo has different meanings in different cultures—it has been variously interpreted as a fertility symbol, a reminder of sayings on how to treat women or police, a way members of People Nation or Nuestra Familia affiliated gangs identify (People gangs identify with the number 5, while Folk Nation gangs use 6), a recognition symbol among the Romani people, a group of close friends, standing alone in the world, or time spent in prison (with the outer four dots representing the prison walls and the inner dot representing the prisoner). Thomas Edison had this pattern tattooed on his forearm.

See also

• Criminal tattoo
• Prison tattooing

References

1. Criminal tattoo
2. Quincunx
3. Prison tattooing
4. Five Points
5. Teardrop tattoo
6. Forty Thieves (New York gang)
7. Tattoo
8. History of tattooing
9. Religious perspectives on tattooing
10. Lower-back tattoo
11. Irezumi
12. Yantra tattooing
13. Tā moko
14. Genital tattooing
15. Sailor tattoos
16. American traditional
17. Batok
18. Tattoo artist
19. Tattoo ink
20. Tattoo machine