This seems to be an ongoing discussion over several threads, so I thought I'd create a place where his respective tattoos can be analysed at length, and discuss whether or not they keep moving from episode to episode.

Go nuts!

Can anyone remember the significance of the 7 crucifix type things on his back?

There are 8 - one for each year of his imprisonment

Ah right, but what do they represent? What's the actual symbol mean?

Ok the big disappearing tattoo debate. In Season 7 Ep 1 when he's in the rest room with Harry we can clearly see Lucas has a band tattoed around his right wrist, this is also apparent in Season 7 Ep 2 when he's at the table recounting the sub info from Malcolm's screen. When he is in bed with Sarah at the start of Season 8 Ep 4 the wrist tattoo is no where to be seen and is replaced by a larger tattoo further up his forearm and with a chain detail - as lwhite53 said perhaps he's having selective laser removal and the forearm tattoo was an addition btw Seasons 7 and 8!

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Those on his torso read Gnothi seauton (Know yourself), Dum Spiro Spero (As long as I live, I hope), MNP (Peace) and Omerta (Silence). The Russian writing down his arm means "See nothing, hear nothing and say nothing to nobody." And there are cupolas (domes) on his back - one for each year spent in jail.
Information from the Radio Times

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If the domes on his back represent each year in prison

(29-11-2009 04:55 PM)HellsBells Wrote:  If the domes on his back represent each year in prison

Spoiler: show

how did he manage to get the last 4 as he was in solitary according to episode 8.4 ?

If prison guards in Russia are the same as anywhere else in the world, anything is possible for the right "considerations.":s

I do remember reading in some interview with RA that the temporary tats were very susceptible to sweat and kept rubbing off during particularly physical scenes. Maybe they just decided the wrist tat was too much trouble and axed it, hoping no one would notice? Not a great continuity move, tho.

I don't like the continuity issue with the wrist tattoo, but I do prefer the 'new' version with it further up the arm and the darker chain. Just wish they'd done it like that from the start and kept it the same. Did they really think no one would notice?

He has tattoos? I never noticed.

I think he must have had the star on his left arm re-inked as it is much darker in S8 Ep5 than it
was in S7 Ep1
I think we're just getting fussy now :oD