A photographic masterwork in two parts exploring the secret world ofmagical tattooing and scarification across the tribal world. Thejourney into highly sacred territory reveals how people utilize ritualbody modification to enhance their access to the supernatural.The first part delves into the ancient art of Thai tattooing or sak yant,and the tattooing worlds of the Amerindians, from Woodlandswarriors to Amazonian shamans. The discussion of talismanictattooing is concluded with a detailed look at the individuals whocreated magical tattoos and the various techniques they used.Part two is an absolute must-read-and-see for anyone seekingknowledge about the religious meanings of tribal scarification. Therituals, techniques, and spiritual iconography of scarmasters in Benin(Bétamarribé), Papua New Guinea (Kaningara), and Ethiopia (Hamar)expose a relatively undocumented world of permanent bodysymbolism created through painful and bloody rites of selfsacrificeand restraint