The Rockettes perform at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in New York, US on November 30, 2021. (Photo by Ralph Bavaro/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Giant bamboo cones, used to protect rice from overnight moisture during its drying process, in the Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh in the second decade of April 2025. (Photo by Bipul Ahmed/Solent News & Photo Agency)
The British alternative rock duo Nova Twins perform on day three of the 2024 Shaky Knees music festival in Atlanta, US on May 5, 2024. (Photo by John D. Shearer/Rex Features/Shutterstock)
A black bear cub performs for its mum at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife park in North Carolina, US in January 2022. (Photo by Jennifer Hadley/Animal News Agency)
US singer Willow Smith attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party following the 94th Oscars at the The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo by willowsmith/Instagram)
A Palestinian protester uses a sling shot to throw stones towards Israeli security forces during clashes on the Israeli border Eastern Gaza City, Friday, November 6, 2015. (Photo by Adel Hana/AP Photo)
“DC3 Wreck”. A capture of a US military DC3 plane wreck at the southern black beach in Iceland. Photo location: Iceland. (Photo and caption by Naian Feng/National Geographic Photo Contest)
Tattoos are commonly used among criminals to show gang membership and record the wearer's personal history—such as his or her skills, specialties, accomplishments and convictions. They are also used as a means of personal expression. Certain designs have developed recognized coded meanings. The code systems can be quite complex and because of the nature of what they encode, the tattoo designs are not widely recognized.