<p>Tattoos, piercings, and body markings have played roles in many cultures for millennia, serving as identification, protection, and decoration.</p><p>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.</p>
Buddhist Monk, Thailand
Tattoos, 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.
