VIKING TATTOOS

The False Viking 'Berserker Rune'

The Brand of Sacrifice isn't a Viking symbol. 

nor is it Norse, nor is it a 'Berserker Rune'

It has absolutely nothing to with either the Vikings or Norse Mythology. It is really cool though – it's just often taken wildly out of context. 

Much like with the Vegvísir, people will happily sell you any sort of lie online if it makes them a profit. I'm not sure if that's 100% the case with the Brand of Sacrifice, but for whatever reason it's become very popular online as a symbol related to the Berserkers of Norse lore. 

The symbol does of course appear runic, and the author of the manga may very well have taken inspiration from the Norse Runes. that being said, if you see this online labelled as anything Nordic or Viking, you can know with 100% certainty that whoever posted that is bullshitting you. 

If you google 'Viking Berserker Rune'

what you'll immediately be met with is an overwhelming amount of search results showing the brand of sacrifice from Berserk. And I can understand why some would believe the symbol is a viking tattoo. It does look runic in nature. The truth however is this:

There is no Viking Berserker Rune

There just isn't. The facts are the facts. 

As much as we would want there to be – no doubt because we in modern times love to romanticise the Vikings – there just isn't and there wasn't a symbol related to them. If I had to take a guess, I'd say someone with no prior knowledge of the Berserk manga had seen this symbol from assumed it Berserkr symbol, and then posted it online as such (most likely on pinterest). From there it blew up, was reposted over and over again, and from there it's just spread like wildfire. 

And then came the Tattoos

Thousands upon thousands of them. I first made this page on my website over 2 years ago, and still to this day I see people posting their 'Viking Berserker Tattoos'. I won't cast any judgement, as my first tattoos were also from Pinterest – the Vegvisir being one of them. 

That being said, I am here to help. 

Looking for good Viking Tattoos?

If you are – I've got you covered

Below you'll find the current eBooks in my planned Trilogy of Viking Tattoo books – Two of which, while unfinished, are already stacked with art and available to download. Scroll down to learn more. 

Key Info

Viking Tattoos – Project Info

What is Viking Tattoos?

Viking tattoos is / will be a trilogy of books/eBooks filled to the brim with Nordic & Viking tattoo designs – gathered from as many artists within this community as I can convince to join. It's my personal fuck you to the slop commonly found on Pinterest – and an affordable alternative for those looking to decorate their skin with Viking tattoos. 

I personally pay all of the artists who join this project out of my own pocket – and due to the sheer volume of artworks within each book – this series has a very widespread appeal. For that reason, I'm able to keep this project affordable for the average person. So far I've spent a lot of money on the art that's in the existing volumes, but I make that back through the sales. It's a win win for everyone and a project I have immeasurable amounts of passion for. 

Why I started this project

Viking tattoos is a project I started for multiple reasons. Primarily, it started as a networking project that would give me a purposeful reason to connect with as many creatives in the Norse & Viking community as I possibly could. And then through these connections, I put myself in the position to support them – both financially, and with exposure. 

Viking tattoos achieves both of those goals. 

This trilogy of books / eBooks is my way of doing that. Each of the three planned books will have 333 tattoo designs themed around Norse Mythology & Viking art. Those who buy the ebooks or the planned physical copies will have access to a library of 1000 tattoo designs, compiled from countless artists and tattoo artists. 

Hold up, 3x 333 = 999, not 1000 🤔

It does. But I have something special planned for the 100th design – a full bodysuit (both sleeves, both legs, chest, back, head, hands, the lot). That design will be created by myself and Jonas Lau Markussen as a celebration of the release of the final Hardcover book. It's gonna be a long time before we do that – but when that time comes, we'll be putting that one out entirely for free. 

The Current eBooks are Unfinished.

However, That's by design. 

I've always intended for this project to be something you as the customer buy into whilst they're being developed. This project is far too much for me as one person to manage and release in a sensible amount of time. I have to connect with so many different people, pay them as and when my finances allow me to, and then handle everything to do with the art once they're finished with the design work. 

So if you buy the eBooks at this point in time 

– you won't receive them in their finished state. Volume 1 currently has 250 of the 333 planned designs, and Volume 2 has 119 of the 333 planned designs. The money I make from each sale goes directly back into the project. I've recently commissioned at least 5 new artists for volume 1, and I'm currently waiting on them to finish their designs. I won't rush them, as it's very important to me that the experience for every artist who works with me on this project is as relaxed and enjoyable as possible. 

All future updates are free once you buy a volume of Viking Tattoos

Everyone who owns Viking Tattoos Volume 1 & 2 will automatically receive all of the future updates as and when they're released. What you pay for is the final product – which you'll receive over a series of update stages – culminating in the final file when the book is finished and ready for publishing. Doing it this way gives you the confidence to buy in now, knowing that you've paid for the final product. Volume 3 won't be here for a while, but you can lean more about / buy the existing 2 with these links:

Viking Tattoos Volume 1 

Viking Tattoos Volume 2

Volume 1

You can learn more about (and purchase) Viking Tattoos Volume 1 HERE

Volume 2

You can learn more about (and purchase) Viking Tattoos Volume 2 HERE

Volume 3

[Coming Soon-ish]

With the unfinished state of Volumes 1 & 2, I would rather focus my time bringing those up to a better standard than trying to get the 3rd Volume ready. I also have a lot of art to gather for it, and with over 200+ artworks yet to gather for Volume 2, it just doesn't make sense to start that just yet. 

It is being planned as part of the trilogy as a whole, it's just gonna take some time for me to make something Tangible. 

The End Goal

1000 tattoo designs gathered from as many artists as I can find – all of which are paid well by me personally – presented as 3 stunning hardback books in what can only be described as a celebration of creativity and a big fuck you to Pinterest / AI slop. They'll be available in 2 formats:

eBook format – The affordable option for those who want to go and get some tattoos – instantly downloadable with a personal tattoo use license on the designs.

Hardback format – The pricier physical books for those more passionate about the art, artists and physical books in general. 

key info

What is Berserk?

Berserk – The Manga by Kentaro Miura

Berserk is a dark and gritty mange series written by Manga artist Kentaro Miura. the story follows Guts, a lone swordsman who is endlessly perused by Demons in an incredibly horrifying and messed up world. The reason he's endlessly hunted is because he has been branded with the brand of sacrifice.

The Brand of Sacrifice is a cursed mark bestowed upon individuals marked for sacrifice by demonic entities known as the God Hand. The brand resembles a series of intersecting lines, often located on the back of the neck or another visible part of the body. 

About the Symbol

The Brand of Sacrifice is a cursed mark bestowed upon individuals marked for sacrifice by demonic entities known as the God Hand. The brand resembles a series of intersecting lines, often located on the back of the neck or another visible part of the body. 

Those marked with the Brand of Sacrifice are targeted by malevolent spirits called Apostles and are destined to be offered as sacrifices in the dark rituals of the God Hand. The brand also attracts restless and malevolent spirits, causing constant torment and danger to the branded individual. 

Guts – The Berserker

In some ways you could make the argument that the Brand of Sacrifice is a berserker tattoo – just not a Viking berserker tattoo. In the manga, Guts often goes 'berserk' akin to how the Berserkers of norse mythology are depicted as doing so. 

I would also take a confident guess and say that Kentaro Miura took inspiration from the mythological depiction of the Berserkers when creating Guts – and the brand of sacrifice for that matter. The symbol is very similar to a bind rune. 

I completely understand why someone with no knowledge of runes of Viking age symbolism would misinterpret this as a symbol from that area. So please don't see anything on this page as me talking down to you from my high horse. I myself got my first tattoos from pinterest, and that's precisely why I make this content – to help others avoid the same mistakes I – and many others – have made. 

Berserk – Incredible & Influential

Now I haven't yet read through the entirety of the Manga. I have read a few chapters from the first volume of the deluxe edition and what little I read absolutely hooked me in to the world and lore. I don't personally do a lot of reading and when I do – it tends to be non fiction. 

I do however love vide games – especially the Soulsborne games which are MASSIVELY inspired by Berserk. And Hidetaka Miyazaki – the creator of those games – is not shy when it comes to speaking out about his love for Berserk and the works of Kentaro Miura
I've watched a few Berserk lore videos here and there, so I have a basic understanding of the world and story. And in all of my Dark souls and elden Ring playthroughs, it's only ever a matter of time before I default to old reliable build – 99 strength and a two handed dragonslayer. I am wholly captivated by the series. It is iconic, brutal and the go to example of peak dark fantasy.

Lukyan & I have even taken inspiration from this series in our Norse mythology art, specifically our depiction of Ragnarok which itself is dark and brutal.