One of the best reasons people get a tattoo is to be different—to stray from the shackles of conformity. Tattooing lets people be unique and show their inner selves in a way that fashion choices and daily conversation cannot.
Now if you’re someone who’s fond of straying from conformity and going against the current, perhaps you’ll enjoy getting a Baphomet tattoo. It’s a popular figure often associated with the occult and is a staple of a ton of metal music genres that end with the word “core”. It’s a symbol that’s pretty awesome in general.
Baphomet tattoo designs often have an edgy, incendiary look that appeal widely to younger, non-conforming audiences. Popular designs include the iconic “Sabbatic Goat” figure that Baphomet is best known to be represented as. Other edgy symbols like hellfire, skulls, and pentagrams are used to complement the diabolic appearance of Baphomet.
Fiery hues of red and orange are often used with bold black outlines and shading to give designs an especially diabolic look. Some of the best pieces are the massive back tattoos that truly give justice to the intensity and scale of the deity Baphomet. Some designs also play around with designs and use bright colors and cartoonish illustrations for a comedic touch.
In this article, I’ve compiled 25 of the most metal Baphomet tattoos there are on the internet. Each piece’s artist is credited so that you can check out more of their work or choose to message them directly. Towards the end, I’ll also tell you about the various symbolism associated with the deity Baphomet, so stick around!
Baphomet Tattoo Designs
Black and Grey Baphomet Tattoos
In this piece, Baphomet is shown wearing a long black cloak, signifying its power and authority as a pagan idol. Its rectangular shaped eyes gaze off into the distance as if plotting its next move, by Barking Irons Tattoo. (@barkingironstattoo on Instagram).
In this awesome traditional style tattoo, Baphomet’s head is placed on the back of the hand, drawn in bold outlines and shading. Its two horns are placed resourcefully on the owner’s index and ring finger while its long and slender neck run along the owner’s outer forearm, by Jack Usher. (@jackflashtattoo on Instagram).
This daring neck tattoo runs from the sides of the neck, meeting at the middle, and reaches up to the clavicles and ends at the sternum. The artist uses some brilliant dotwork techniques to give the illusion of depth and texture to this masterfully done tattoo. By using elements such as skulls, a pentagram on the forehead, and a ghostly white moth with a subtle skull pattern on its thorax, the artist makes this design look truly diabolical, by VORTI- C. (@vic_vai_tattoo on Instagram).
This chest tattoo uses advanced shading techniques to give the fur a hyper realistic texture. Seen around the piece are various occult symbols and on its forehead is a third eye, which is often attributed to the supernatural. Its eyes glow a ghostly white giving it a truly diabolical look, by TATTOOHELL. (@tattoohell_mira on Instagram).
In this piece, Baphomet is shown in genuflection. Its wings and horns are shaded using advanced dotwork and hatching techniques to give them depth. Seen on its forehead is a third eye, illustrated as a typical goat eye, which add a bizarre feeling because of their rectangular shaped pupils, by Meatshop Tattoo. (@meatshoptattoo on Instagram).
This hyper realistic tattoo by Jon Ragoe Judkins makes fantastic use of shadows and highlights to really make this Baphomet tattoo pop. In this piece, Baphomet is shown in its signature sign of the occult pose, by Jon Ragoe Judkins. (@jonragoe_tattoos on Instagram).
In this design, the artist strays from using too many occult symbols and instead opts for a simpler, less provocative design. The lit torch, forehead pentagram, and third eye are common elements that are nowhere to be found in this design. The piece still manages to give off a diabolical vibe using the goat’s expression, by Anthony. (@tattoosbyanthonyguido on Instagram).
This black and grey piece shows Baphomet’s skull with a third eye. It wears a cloak and holds its hands out as if casting an incantation. Behind it is an ornamental window and a cloud of smoke which seems to mimic the profile of a skull with its mouth open, by Melina Di Febo. (@mellemeloni on Instagram).
In this piece, Baphomet is shown as a Jacob sheep, identified by its 4 horns. It gives off an ominous expression as its rectangular eyes gaze off into the distance. Black goo oozes from its ears and chin which make for a pretty badass design, by Itzel “Mystyk” Garza. (@mystyktattoos on Instagram).
This back piece sticks to the original design created by Éliphas Lévi in the 1850s. This design has since stuck with the masses as the most common representation of Baphomet, by Martin Unchia. (@glassxhouses.exe on Instagram).
This piece drawn in traditional black and grey style uses bold outlines and detailed shading techniques. Normally seen on top of Baphomet’s head, between its horns, is a lit torch. In this piece, the artist replaces the torch with a burning cathedral. The sigil of Baphomet adorns the entrance to the burning cathedral, by Marcus Price. (@marcusdoestattoos on Instagram).
Colored Baphomet Tattoos
In this piece, Baphomet is again shown with 4 horns instead of the typical two. Its forehead pentagram is replaced by a symbol of a flame, and its eyes gaze downwards. The artist makes clever use of lighting and color in this piece by projecting the light (seemingly coming from a flame) upwards to give it a sinister expression, by Stephanie Johnson. (@zee.l.1991 on Instagram).
This thigh tattoo uses an inverse coloring technique to give an ominous feel to this Baphomet tattoo. A fiery color gradient consisting of yellow, orange, and red are used to color in the outline, by David Brito. (@davidbrito037 on Instagram).
In this illustrative piece, Baphomet is shown in its signature pose, the sign of the occult. The original design by by Éliphas Lévi is maintained. Shades of blood red and goat skulls placed next to Baphomet’s feet are used in order to enhance the ominous appearance of this design, by ryan. (@rebelry66 on Instagram).
In this provocative piece, Baphomet is drawn nonchalantly smoking a joint. Its body is covered with tattoos of Satan, the Eye of Horus, an AK-47, a skull, a crow, a knife, and what seems to be the Egyptian god Ra on its abdomen, by Zoio. (@zoiotattooartist on Instagram).
Sigil of Baphomet Tattoos
This design takes the traditional approach and draws the Sabbatic goat skull in extreme detail. Its spiraling horns intertwine with the Sigil of Baphomet behind it, by Lysandra Finsterwalder. (@finsterwalder_lysandra_tattoo on Instagram).
In this piece, Baphomet is drawn with black eyes instead of the usual rectangular pupil eyes, giving this design a somewhat friendlier look. To make your Baphomet tattoo look especially diabolical, give it rectangular pupils to make it feel more ominous and alien. The sigil of Baphomet hides behind the head, by Daisy Rugamas. (@rucaroots.tattoo on Instagram).
In this brilliant hand tattoo, the artist uses dotwork techniques to give texture to Baphomet’s fur. The Leviathan Cross (or the cross of Satan), identified by an infinity sign with a double cross on top, is found on its forehead while the sigil of Baphomet is seen in the background, by Nataliia Nosova. (@crococo_art on Instagram).
In this daring neck tattoo, the ink starts at the top of the neck, behind the ears, and ends at thje bottom. A goat’s head is shown in front of the Sigil of Baphomet, half alive and half dead, by Kai. (@orion1647 on Instagram).
Cute Baphomet Tattoos
This design takes a more cartoonish approach to illustrating Baphomet. It features the iconic Sabbatic Goat in front of the Sigil of Baphomet, drawn in an adorable cartoon style. On this person’s fingers are the letters which form the word “fuck”, giving the entire tattoo couple an especially edgy feel, by Brenne. (@brienne.rot on Instagram).
In this piece, Baphomet is drawn in an adorable cartoonish style. It contains all the key “Baphomet” elements such as the goat’s head, the forehead pentagram, breasts, wings, and the iconic pose of occultism. It is colored with bold shades of red and topped off with red flowers and other occult symbols, by Stephanny Bossé. (@rodeo_tattoo_arts_coyoteartist on Instagram).
This adorable design paints Baphomet in an unorthodox cutesy style, drawing it with anime-style sparkly eyes, small wings, and topping it off with a color palette that makes it glimmer in hot pink. Seen on its thigh is a heart shaped ruby, while on its cheeks are two blue heart accessories, by Andy Palacios. (@andy_palacios_tattoo on Instagram).
This thigh tattoo uses a cute Baphomet design which colors its fur pink and its other parts blue. Its beard is replaced with a crystal formation which glimmers in hot pink and blue, by Joann Mendez. (@joannspooky on Instagram).
In this piece, the artist colors in Baphomet with a rainbow color pattern, straying away from the usual hellfire color theme. Its fur is white and its horns and wings are colored in a rainbow pattern. It also grins cheerfully while wearing baggy purple pants, by Unkown Artist
This charming piece shows Baphomet holding the Necronomicon (the Book of the Dead), easily recognized by its cover which looks like a person screaming in agony. Baphomet, with an adorable candle on its head instead of a torch, smiles at its friend Cthulhu, a Lovecraftian entity with an interesting background. The cutesy style gives a nice contrast to the typically diabolically represented characters in the piece, by Brittny Gates. (@bloodfoxtattoo on Instagram).
Baphomet Symbolism
Even though Baphomet has slowly become misunderstood as a catch-all image for all things witchcraft, occult, and esoteric, Baphomet’s roots actually run deeper than that. Pop culture has misappropriated the use of the image of Baphomet to represent evil and perversion.
And because of the creation of The Satanic Temple’s controversial bronze Baphomet statue, the true meaning of Baphomet has fallen further into obscurity, unintentionally blending in with other misunderstood esoteric symbols as merely a symbol of evil.
Here are a few of the things that the symbol Baphomet truly stands for.
Insight
Some ancient mystery schools in Europe displayed monstrous figures outside their temples and near sacred groves. This was done in order to scare off people who let appearances scare them away from a path of spirituality. Only a person with true dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and spiritual enlightenment—one who could look beyond appearances and into the symbolism—would be allowed to see the truth. In Baphomet’s case, its unsettling appearance and obscured symbolisms serve as its tests to weed out those who are willing enough to deeply understand its true messages—people like you.
Harmony
Even though Baphomet is often used as a symbol of evil, and thus chaos, it can be unusual to know that its image represents harmony. If you take a close look at the original depiction of Baphomet by Eliphas Lévi drawn in 1856, you see Baphomet pointing upward to a white moon with its left hand and to a black moon with its right. This represents perfect harmony between opposite polarities.
Carnality
As one will also see on Lévi’s original depiction of Baphomet, it has a goat’s head. This represents the limitations inflicted on a soul when it becomes bound into a mortal body. Since a mortal body is of the flesh, the soul becomes subject to the senses and desires of the flesh. The soul’s spiritual nature, through no fault of its own, is diminished accordingly.
Baphomet Tattoo FAQs
Who is Baphomet?
Baphomet is a gnostic idol most commonly imagined as a “Sabbatic Goat”—a hermaphroditic winged human figure with the head and feet of a goat that is decorated with various occult symbols. It is a deity that represents the sum of the entire universe and all of its opposing forces.
It is a deity that is often misunderstood because of its recent representations in Satanism and occult literature. And while it has since become a satanic and subversive symbol to people unaware of its true context, it actually stood for much more in the 19th century. Similar to how the Nazis have turned the swastika into a symbol of hate when it was once viewed as a positive symbol of divinity and spirituality.
What is the Sigil of Baphomet?
The Sigil of Baphomet is the foremost symbol of Satanism. It is an image of a goat’s head inside an inverted pentagram. At the five points of the pentagram are Hebrew letters which spell out the word Leviathan. It is the Church of Satan’s trademarked and copyrighted official insignia. It represents carnality and earthly principles.
Are people with Baphomet tattoos Satanists?
No. They could be, but they’re likely not. People with Baphomet tattoos are not Satanists in the same way that people with phoenix tattoos don’t worship the phoenix. Baphomet is a figure. And just because people get it tattooed onto their skin doesn’t necessarily mean that they worship Baphomet. It just means that they respect, understand, and admire the various symbolisms associated with the figure. It’s healthy to keep a clear mind about these things and not immediately label someone based on their looks. If you’re curious about why someone has a Baphomet tattoo, asking never hurts! You might even learn something new.
Conclusion
Unfortunately for Baphomet, its original meanings have gradually plunged into obscurity. Even though it is in no way meant to symbolize evil and perversion, religious conflicts and pop culture have muddied the sacred image of this pagan deity.
So the next time someone asks you about your Baphomet tattoo, take some time to explain to them the history of Baphomet, why it’s not evil, and why people have begun viewing it that way.
Did you enjoy these Baphomet tattoo designs or are you looking for more inspiration? Check out the following links to see more designs from talented artists.
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