It was not until the Romans learned of the wishbone that the bone was broken in half. The Romans would break the wishbone in half because of the scarcity of birds in their area. Breaking the bone in half and given to two different parties would weaken the effects of the wishbone, but at the same time, both parties would have a piece of the magical bone to grant wishes from. As the British learned of the wishbone, they turned it into a completely different meaning. The Britains took the wishbone and turned it into a game. In the 17th century, the wishbone would be the bone that predicted who would be the next to get married. Like catching the bouquet of flowers at a wedding, they would take the wishbone and place it on their nose. The participant was most normally a woman. As the individual was balancing the unbroken wishbone on the tip of their nose, they were to make the wish before the bone fell to the ground. In some cases, if the bone did fall to the ground, the loser would have a second chance at it. The wishbone would be broken in half, and if the loser guessed which hand the longer piece was hidden in, usually there would be another person holding the broken wishbone, the loser would then be predicted to be the next to marry! This idea was spread throughout many colonies and eventually worked its way up to the United States when the pilgrims demonstrated this game as a way of ‘good fortune’.

Wishbone Tattoo Designs

The idea of the wishbone and its magical wishing powers is most known to many people in many cultures. The symbol of the wishbone by itself is one to have people thinking of their deepest desires. If you are one that is all about having good luck charms tattooed on your body, the wishbone design is perfect for you. This wishbone is a symbol of good luck and hope for the future. The wishbone is a very creative way of showing that you are optimistic and have wishful thinking. There are many different designs you can display your wishbone tattoo.