What is the meaning of an eagle perched on a skull?

Question

I am tweaking a new tattoo concept, and I want to make sure there isn't any other meaning claimed by some stupid hate group or something. It is a pretty traditional concept. To me the eagle stands for freedom and the skull reminds me of my mortality and to enjoy each day.

Answer 1

To me, the way you describe it, it means freedom and death.

Answer 2

An eagle on a skull is actually dependent on culture. For example, in Latino culture, an eagle means both freedom and power, while a skull could mean control and death; in the United States, the eagle is definitely freedom, but the skull is death to most people; in biker culture, the skull is certainly living each day to the fullest, but the eagle means both freedom and revenge; in Sweden, an eagle is a spiritual symbol, one which could mean lots of things but which generally symbolizes one's soul, while the skull means death or even dark sorcery.

There are just so many meanings that could be drawn from symbols, both good and bad. When you're doing a tattoo, though, the rule of thumb is to do something that is meaningful to you and you alone. s***w everyone else: you know what you want, and what you mean by it. Seriously, a tattoo is an excuse to tell a story. It is itself folklore.