Walk through a graveyard alone at night and you’re bound to encounter strange paranormal activity. In fact, it just might be enough to chill your bones or scare you right of your skin!

When it comes to burial grounds, popular movies have played a notorious role in associating them with horror, evil spirits, and of course, the grim reaper himself. Graveyards are after all, the lonely places filled with lost souls and lots of tombstones. However, in another light their also places of rest, which can be quite comforting to some.

Take for instance, tattoos with open gates which symbol a passage into heaven. In a sense, their meaning can be to showcase the dead leaving the land of the living behind in order to reach the great beyond. There’s also the winged skull too, which symbolizes the fleetingness of life or in other words, souls souring into the afterlife.

For most, graveyard tattoos are simple way to honor and remember a beloved family member, friend or memory. If you’ve ever seen a snapped rose design, you might be surprised to know it symbolizes a death that occurred too soon. Other designs are a little darker, like the inverted touch which represents a soul burning in the afterlife.

Yet, perhaps the two most popular styles include wheat and the flying hourglass. Wheat represents a long life, once harvested by the grim reaper, while the flying hourglass shows the passage of time. With that said, I’m going to share with you 40 incredible graveyard tattoo designs for men.

Each features cool one of its kind tombstones, cemeteries, and symbols that are sure to be both bone chilling and inspiring. Walk through the gates below and discover ideas for your once in a lifetime ink.

1. Forearm Graveyard Tattoos

2. Bicep Graveyard Tattoos

3. Arm Graveyard Tattoos

4. Sleeve Graveyard Tattoos