PFH1164654: China: Elderly Uighur man at the Sunday Livestock Market, Kashgar, Xinjiang / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164658: China: Painting of Vishvantara Offering a White Elephant, Miran, Xinjiang / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164660: Thailand: Altar at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164662: Thailand: Chinese gods and other statues at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164666: Thailand: Chinese gods and other statues on an altar at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164672: Thailand: A fruit laden altar at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164674: Thailand: Lighting incense at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164678: Thailand: Joss paper burning in the courtyard of San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164681: Thailand: Entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' takes part in a procession through Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164690: Thailand: Entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' takes part in a procession through Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164691: Thailand: Entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' takes part in a procession through Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164694: Thailand: Entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' takes part in a procession through Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164695: Thailand: Entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' takes part in a procession through Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164697: Thailand: Entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' takes part in a procession through Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164714: Thailand: The 'Ma Song' (entranced devotees) and their attendants pass through the streets of Phuket Town, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164716: Thailand: Firecrackers explode over shrine bearers and they are quickly enveloped in thick smoke, street procession, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164260: Japan: Chinese script (Kanji). Maha Prajna Paramita Sutra, Kamakura, 10th-11th century CE / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164263: China: Chinese script. Tang Dynasty calligraphy attributed to Zhong Shaojing / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164289: Cambodia: Preah Khan, Angkor / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164292: China / Burma: Sini script from Panthay mosque in Burma / Myanmar / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164298: China / Tibet: Tibetan script. Buddhist sutra from Dunhuang. 8th century CE / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164305: Mongolia: Orkhon Tablets of 8th century, found in the Orkhon Valley / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164309: Middle East: Arabic script, Mirror writing in Islamic calligraphy / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164325: China: Images from the Swedish East India Company of 1746 - Creatures of the deep. / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164330: Yemen: Arabic writing. Carsten Niebuhr, 1761-1776. / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164332: Arabia: The great mosque of Medina. Carsten Niebuhr, 1761-1776. / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164339: Germany: The Nuremberg Chronicle, Alexander the Great / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164919: Thailand: Shop owners wave bamboo poles with strings of exploding firecrackers over the heads of shrine bearers, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164925: Thailand: The 'Crossing the Bridge' ceremony at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164926: Thailand: The 'Crossing the Bridge' ceremony at San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164936: Thailand: An entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' blesses a group of ordinary devotees, San Chao Bang Niew (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164949: Thailand: The streets of Phuket Town exploding with firecrackers as the parade passes, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164952: Thailand: An entranced devotee or 'Ma Song' waves in the night parade, Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164959: Thailand: San Chao Saeng Tham Chinese temple, Phuket / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164962: Thailand: Lanterns at the entrance to San Chao Saeng Tham Chinese temple, Phuket / Bridgeman Images

PFH1164975: Thailand: The lowering of the Lantern Pole at San Chao Chui Tui (Chinese Taoist temple), Phuket Vegetarian Festival / Bridgeman Images