Decoding Russian Mafia Tattoos

The history of Russian Mafia Tattoos date back to the declining years of the once powerful Soviet Union, with it's deepest roots embedded throughout the notorious Russian prison camp system - known as the Soviet gulag. It was during this collapse that a new breed of professional criminals were spawned, fueled by a hybrid sense of dignity, tradition and desperation - as their communist empire fell.

Within those prison walls is where they developed a system of identification and rank based on criminal accomplishment, status and moral sin. If you've ever seen the documentary The Mark of Cain by Alix Lambert you will hear many prisoners speak of their tattoos as a business card - in a single glance being able to tell what another man has been convicted of spiritually and criminally.