Human beings are, by and large, extremely creative creatures, ever ready to express themselves with outward displays that reflect their inner thoughts and feelings.

Some people turn to words to better make real the creative juices they have inside, others build things, others still utilize art. It’s not so much the method that’s important, so much as the act of producing something that others can take in.

I mean, this is nothing new. As a species we’ve been creating and constructing for almost as long as we’ve been around. Look around and you’ll find creative flair in just about everything humans have touched, be it architecture, food, clothing, even plain old city design.

It should hardly come as a surprise, then, that so many of us choose to treat our own skin as a canvas.

I’m talking here about tattoos, which have held substantial significance in many different cultures across the world over the past few thousand years. Tattoos have been frowned upon in some societies at certain points in history, but today they’re more widely accepted as an expression of the owner’s personality and soul.

It varies from person to person, but for the most part tattoos hold at least some degree of importance to the individuals who choose to get them. Signs and symbols denoting a passion or interest are common, as are words or phrases that particularly resonate.

Perhaps what’s so interesting about this is the idea that most tattoos mean something. In other words, they can provide a glimpse inside the owner’s mind, sometimes clear, other times vague.

Now, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t always mean positive things. There are those people who proudly sport symbols abhorred by the majority of society. There are others who wear tattoos that might serve as an obvious warning sign.

Case in point: the three-dot tattoo that’s considered by many to be directly connected to the Russian prison system. You’ve likely seen or at least heard of people – many of whom have a criminal past – tattooing a tear on their faces, but you’re perhaps unfamiliar with the three simple dots in a line that we’re talking about here.

I was, in any case… and I thought it best to share the message so that if you ever see someone with this type of tattoo, you’re aware of what it could mean.

Put simply, the three-dot tattoo holds a number of meanings and usually symbolizes secrecy, loyalty, and the length of one’s prison sentence. The marking itself, often placed on the left hand, reportedly has its roots in Buddhist symbolism. Said to represent the three wise monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil, the dots are supposed to represent a rejection of violence and wrongdoing.

In reality, though, the three-dot tattoo is more commonly linked to the Russian prison system, where it’s considered a mark for serious offenders. Each dot is intended to represent ten years imprisonment, meaning that an individual with three dots may have served as long as thirty years behind bars.

Criminal organizations may also use the three-dot symbol as a marking for their members to signify their affiliation. In such cases, the tattoo can be seen as a warning or threat to others.

All that said, it’s obviously important that you use your own instincts and common sense when it comes to your reaction if and when you encounter someone with the three-dot tattoo in real life.

Some people might have it tattoo’d upon themselves for aesthetic purposes, and have absolutely no affiliation to any sort of criminal activity. Others may be reformed and rehabilitated, thereby not posing as much threat to others as they once did.

Not judging in haste is always a better approach, but at least now you’re perhaps slightly better forewarned than you were!