A monk receiving a tattoo
A pair of hands with henna designs
A woman with a lip plate
A man with tattoos in front of a graffiti wall
Close-up of scars on an abdomen
A woman with gold rings around her neck
Close-up of beadwork on a man’s ear
A woman standing on a beach
A man with facial piercings at a bar
A man with scars on his chest
A man tattooing a woman’s back
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Buddhist Monk, ThailandTattoos, piercings, and body markings have played roles in many cultures for millennia, serving as identification, protection, and decoration.Here, a young monk is tattooed with a sharp rod near a Buddhist temple in Thailand. Tattoos are believed to bestow the monks with ancient Khmer prayers and the spiritually protective power of animal images.
Photograph by Stephen Shaver/AFP/Getty Images

Tattoos, Piercings, and Scarification

May 10, 2011

For Hungry Minds

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