Many cultures the world over have carried the lucky rabbit’s foot, and the origins of this practice are as fascinating as they are obscure.

The early Celts believed that the rabbit in question must be killed a certain way by a person of unusual talents and attributes, while certain African hoodoo beliefs held that the rabbit foot in question was taken from a witch’s familiar, or animal form, and was intended for only the darkest of purposes.

Even the prim Victorians were known to wear silver and gold rabbit foot charm “holders” made to look like the head of a rabbit; a pristine take on an otherewise primitive custom.

With so many colorful superstitions surrounding the lucky rabbit’s foot, many dating back so many centuries, one almost wonders if the superstitions hold some truth. While the rabbit in question certainly didn’t meet a particularly lucky end (noted humorist R. E. Shay was said to remark, “Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember it didn’t work for the rabbit”), those who have worn its appendage have sworn by the rewards reaped upon them.

For that reason it’s only natural to adapt the rabbit’s foot into tattoo form. The task of creating a realistic and discernible rabbit’s foot is no easy task for even the most renowned tattoo artist, but the results are well worth the patience and painstaking skill. A lucky rabbit’s foot tattoo carries a peculiar magic that can be denied by neither the wearer nor viewer, and one can’t help but feel they are invoking a strange magic of their own when adopting this lupine emblem.

Painted in bright, New Orleans-worthy colors or antiquated black and white ink, the rabbit foot is a unique but infinitely more humane way to keep luck on your skin-and your side. Wear it on your wrist or forearm, where you can readily catch a reassuring glimpse, or keep it tucked away from prying eyes; wherever you place your lucky rabbit tattoo, prepare for some unexpected good fortune in ways only this odd and ancient tradition could invoke.