The image of a key almost certainly indicates a secret. When pictured without a lock, the mystery is increased, leaving the question of “what does the key unlock?” A key can be a very personal image, symbolizing an intimate moment or situation that isn’t necessarily meant to be shared with others. If the key is illustrated with a lock, the image can symbolize a reliance on the self and a trust in one’s own abilities or the reliance on another, often one who wears a lock tattoo. The key is a part of a couple’s or friend’s tattoo and relies on the lock image to complete the shared design. The key is the icon of a truth or an answer and the presence or absence of a lock or keyhole can indicate the relevance of that truth. A key is a standard image that can be manipulated into a variety of designs in order to create a personal and unique tattoo.

In all honesty, the key tattoo can mean whatever you want it to mean. It all depends on the story or the history of the key to you. In this post we will talk a bit about the history of the key and how it was used in the world. We will also discuss the meaning of the key tattoo along with different ways it can be tattooed. Meanings can change depending on what images are paired with the key tattoo. By the end of this post we hope you have a better understanding of what it means to have a key tattoo.

History of the Key

Keys and locks go back a long time and the earliest known key and lock was found the Nineveh ruins which is the capital of Assyria. From these locks, the Egyptians were next to make improvements and started using the wooden pin lock. This kind of lock had a door fixture, key and bolt. By inserting the key, the pins were raised out of the drilled holes that are within the bolt, which allowed the lock to move. When you pull the key out, the pins would fall back in the hole making it lock back into place.