Digging up the Dead
An archaeological field school experience shines a light on the grave concerns people have about the treatment of human remains.
Ritual
-
-
Does Tattooing Boost Health?
An anthropological study in the Samoan Islands explores the cultural purpose and biological effects of tatau.
-
How Rituals of Pain Help Heal
A new study reveals how ceremonies involving physical suffering can be invaluable tools for building resilience and coping skills.
-
India’s Third Gender Rises Again
Hijras are striving to overcome a century of discrimination and reclaim their holy status in society—through a mix of faith rituals and Facebook.
-
How Hearts Align in a Muslim Ritual
An important Sufi ritual brings participants together in a shared experience of trance and movement that actually synchronizes their heartbeats.
-
Witnessing an Endangered Puberty Ritual
In an Indigenous community in Peru, a girl’s first menstruation is accompanied by a “boot camp” during which she’s trained in how to be a woman—but that tradition is ebbing away.