John Rush

About the Author

John Rush is a distinguished cultural historian and anthropologist whose work delves into the intricate intersections of body modification, spirituality, and human expression across diverse societies. With a background in religious studies and ethnography, Rush has spent decades researching ancient and contemporary practices that mark the skin as a canvas for identity and belief. His seminal exploration in 'Spiritual Tattoo: A Cultural History of Tattooing, Piercing, Scarification, Branding, and Implants' traces the evolution of these rituals from prehistoric times to modern subcultures, revealing their profound symbolic roles in rites of passage, healing, and rebellion. Rush's scholarship bridges academic rigor with accessible storytelling, inviting readers to reconsider the tattooed body as a sacred text. A frequent lecturer and contributor to journals on visual anthropology, he continues to illuminate the hidden narratives etched into human flesh.