Rope and Hold Fast Tattoo Symbol

A tattoo that is rarely seen today, early seamen who were dockhands had a rope tattooed around the wrist to show their profession.

Another old maritime tattoo, the letters “H”, “O”, “L”, and “D”, one each tattooed on the knuckles of one hand and the letters “F”, “A”, “S”, and “T” on the knuckles of the other hand were said to help seaman hold on to the riggings better.