been away too long

**RockyR** · 10th April 07, 05:08 PM

Congrats on EVERYTHING! The House, the new Kilt, the new job, and the new LIFESTYLE!

**SoldierSpike** · 10th April 07, 05:21 PM

Another new guy welcoming you back! Great news on the new house, job, and the increased freedom from pants!

Marc

**gangreenfootball** · 10th April 07, 07:26 PM

Welcome back we missed ya

**jordanjm** · 10th April 07, 07:36 PM

Welcome back from someone else who joined after you.

**GMan** · 10th April 07, 07:37 PM

Boy it sounds like your life is going well!!!

Welcome back

**Panache** · 10th April 07, 07:39 PM

FC,

I remember you from when I just joined X Marks.

Nice to have you back!

Cheers

Jamie

**sorcererdale** · 10th April 07, 07:51 PM

Welcome back. What tattoo did you get?

DALE.

**furrycelt** · 11th April 07, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by sorcererdale

Welcome back. What tattoo did you get?

DALE.

well, let me just show ya the tattoo:

it is a copy of an archaeological find from northern Scotland. the two symbols are Pictish. the top one means "conquer" and the bottom one means "death"; the former on top of the latter means that death has been conquered. which is fitting since the over-all symbol is the Christian cross.

i got this in the middle of december. it took just under 3 hours to complete. it was done by Ernie at Warlock's in Raleigh NC. (say a prayer for him too; a month after i got this done, he was hit by a car and after seven surgeries he still lost his leg at the knee, his medical bills are over $200,000.)

**furrycelt** · 11th April 07, 06:35 AM

thanks everyone for all the "welcome back"s. this is indeed the best online forum.

**Arlen** · 11th April 07, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by furrycelt

the top one means "conquer" and the bottom one means "death";

First off, a big welcome from Glasgow, Scotland.
Let me also say your tattoo is beautiful and very well done.
I've done a lot of in-depth studies of Pictish art and culture and the unfortunate thing is that not a single person can say what any of the Pictish symbols mean. I have a good few Pictish tattoos myself, but the theory that most scholars agree on is that the Pictish symbols were likely family 'Markers'. Designs used to symbolize clans and districts.
The bottom one in that cross tends to be known as the 'Crescent and V-rod' and is usually shown on it's side. A lot of people theorise that is show's the emergence of the warrior from the womb. Others that it shows how Picts worshipped a moon goddess.
The fact is that they didn't leave any writings or explanations and we're lost.