Blood is something that all humans share: a vital force that courses through our veins - the giver of life. This book gathers together specially commissioned essays from leading scholars which reflect on the religious, historical, and medical dimensions of blood. Written for a broad audience and illustrated with full color illustrations, the essays encompass history, literature, art history, religious studies and medical humanities and explore some of the most challenging issues surrounding blood and ritual.  With an introduction by Anthony Bale, David Feldman and Jo Rosenthal, contributors include Marc Michael Epstein, Anthony Bale, David Feldman, Robin Judd, Sander Gilman, Dorothy Porter and Gil Anidjar.