'Special meaning' behind Angelina Jolie's tattoo after she debuts new ink on chest
Any long-term Angelina Jolie fans will already be well aware that the Hollywood superstar is no stranger to going under the needle.
Ever since first stepping into the spotlight back in the 90s, the Mr and Mrs Smith actress has proudly shown off her several tattoos at movie premiers and plush red carpet events.
Most notably, back in the day, she became notorious for her body ink after debuting her colossal dedication to then-boyfriend Billy Bob Thornton - which took the form of a black dragon and accompanying text.
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Since then, as well as covering up the tribute to her former flame, the mother-of-six has received several more tattoos, only 13 of which we know of.
Among her numerous pieces of art are a list of co-ordinates of locations where her children - all of whom she shares with ex-husband Brad Pitt - Knox and Vivienne, 15, Shiloh, 18, Zahara, 19, Pax, 20, and Maddox, 22, were born (which was used to cover-up her Billy Bob tat), a Buddhist spell dedicated to her adopted son Maddox, and four back tattoos representing earth, water, air and fire.
Angelina also has a 12-inch long Bengal tiger on the bottom of her back, a mysterious letter 'H' on her wrist - which is believed to be either a tribute ex-boyfriend Timothy Hutton or her brother James Haven - and an Arabic script tattoo that translates as determination on her right arm.
And joining the numerous other pieces of art she's shown off in the past is a brand new tattoo, which she took the opportunity to debut as this year's star-studded Tony Awards.
Walking the red carpet at New York City's Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theatre, the silver-screen beauty was seen donning a custom Atelier Versace velvet draped gown, the sweetheart neckline of which exhibited her new tattoo, which appeared to be a tiny sparrow-like bird in flight.
Though 49-year-old Angelina has remained relatively tight-lipped over the true meaning of her various inkings, this hasn't stopped fans from speculating what the bird could be in dedication to.
And according to a handful of spectators on Reddit, a depiction of a sparrow is said to be a representation of loyalty, love and affection for family and friends.
It turns out, that this very well could be the case, especially being that Angelina's eldest child, daughter Shiloh, reportedly also has the same bird depicted on her arm.
"People who choose swallow tattoos are generally loyal and loving and wish to express those traits," the Reddit user explained this week. "They are often committed to one person and choose the swallow to symbolize that as the swallow mates for life.
"A swallow still stands for loyalty, protection, seeking a home, and ultimately, it symbolizes love. Outside of its nautical connections, swallows are known to be monogamous during mating season and can represent love, devotion, and loyalty."
They continued: "Similarly swallows always return to the same location every year to mate and nest, so may symbolize that you will always return home safely.
A swallow tattoo is also associated with the return of Spring and as such is linked with renewal, hope, growth, and the start of a new chapter."
Topics: Celebrity, TV And Film, Tattoos, Parenting
Rhianna Benson