Rosary beads are a traditional prayer necklace recognized by the Christian faith. However, the rosary bead tattoo can be embraced by anyone of any faith simply by removing the crucifix at the head of the necklace and inserting another religious symbol or figure, such as a Jewish star of David or Buddha. Have your artist tattoo the image of the beads so that they appear to wrap once or twice around your ankle, then flow out onto the top of your foot to portray the religious icon of your choosing.
Most people, especially in America, have several lines of ancestry in addition to their citizenship. If you are someone with multiple paths of lineage, consider a charm anklet with small flags or other national symbols in place of charms. For example, if you are an American citizen with Irish and Swedish lineage, consider a red, white and blue star to signify America, a green clover to symbolize Ireland and a Swedish blue flag with a yellow cross as the charms.
Script tattoos can be a single word or several sentences depending on the size of the font and its location. For an anklet tattoo, the script should be about five words or less, depending on ankle size, so that the letters are large enough to be legible. There are hundreds of font styles to choose from when selecting a script tattoo, but you can also design the font yourself to give it a more personal quality.
Hardcore fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series can pay the ultimate respect to the story by tattooing the ring's Mordorian script and phrase around the ankle. Locate the actual script in the first novel, " The Fellowship of the Ring" or online and have the image transferred into tattoo form. Tattoo flames around the letters to symbolize the heat needed to expose the forbidden writing or simply represent the script on its own. The design will be recognized and appreciated by other fans and simply dismissed as a strange tribal font to those who don't recognize it.