The bond that couldn't save Angelina's marriage: Never-before-seen photos capture the moment Jolie is 'bound' to now-ex-husband Brad Pitt by Thai tattooist... months before shock split
She's known for her love of intricate body art, having amassed over 15 tattoos since she was a teenager.
Now never-before-seen images of Angelina Jolie have surfaced showing the star being tattooed by ex Thai monk Ajarn Noo Kanpai alongside her estranged husband Brad Pitt in Siem Reap in Cambodia.
The Hollywood actress - who was directing her Netflix movie First They Killed My Father at the time in the country - had flown the tattoo artist from Bangkok to work on the symbolic inkings for her and Brad in February 2016.
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Tatt's nice: Never-before-seen images of Angelina Jolie have surfaced showing the star being tattooed by ex Thai monk Ajarn Noo Kanpai alongside her recently estranged husband Brad Pitt in Siem Reap in Cambodia early 2016
During her visit last year, she acquired three new mystical sak yant back inkings from the Thai artist, a style which encompasses lines of script, geometric patterns and animal shapes.
Opting for an ancient handheld method, the artist used steel rods mounted with a surgical steel needle - which is deemed to be more painful but more accurate than a tattoo gun - to apply the tattoos to the skin.
During the visit, Brad also got inked by Kanpai, who tattooed the left side of his stomach with a Buddhist symbol months before they separated in September.
Ironically, the former couple's designs were intended 'to symbolically bind them as husband and wife', yet their marriage didn't stand the test of time.
Symbolic: The Hollywood actress - who was in the country directing her Netflix movie First They Killed My Father at the time - had flown the tattoo artist from Bangkok to work on the symbolic inkings for her and Brad in February 2016 (After and before)
All three of the new markings are on her back, joining previous tattoos that say Know Your Rights, a traditional Thai tiger and Cambodian writings that have already been in place for years.
Along with the symbolic binding, the new tattoos also included two ancient Thai Buddhist symbols and mantras, which are thought to help provide protection.
Complete with a thin, intricate outline in black ink it was also thought the tattoo is an homage to the thousands who lost their lives during the country's Khmer Rouge reign.
New art: Opting for an ancient handheld method, the artist used steel rods mounted with a surgical steel needle - which is deemed to be more painful but also more accurate than a tattoo gun - to applied the tattoos to the skin
Meaningful: During her visit last year, she acquired three new mystical sak yant back inkings from the Thai body artist, a style which encompasses lines of script, geometric patterns and animal shapes
It isn't the first time Kanpai worked with Jolie having first inked her shoulder blade in 2003 and in 2004 on her tiger.
The Bangkok-based - who's designs cost thousands of pounds - artist has also worked with a number of famous faces including model Cara Delevingne and actress Michelle Rodriguez.
One-time monk Ajarn is based in a temple near Bangkok and his designs are said to protect whoever has them.
Before the storm: During the visit, Brad also got inked by Kanpai, who tattooed the left side of his stomach with a Buddhist symbol months before they separated in September
The Oscar-winning actress has been back to Cambodia since her inkings, making her first official appearance since the announcement of her separation from Pitt alongside her children Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10 and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.
The mother-of-six, whose eldest child Maddox was adopted in 2002 from an orphanage in Battambang, Cambodia, gave a free public screening of the memoir-based drama in February,
The harrowing film tells the story of the war time experiences of Angelina's friend and former refuge Cambodian Loung Un as a young child, and is set to be released on Netflix.
The première will be followed by screenings across Cambodia, some seven months before the film is released to a global audience on Netflix.
'Bind': Ironically, the former couple's designs were intended 'to symbolically bind them as husband and wife', yet their marriage didn't stand the test of time
Moving on: Since the inkings, Brad has been embroiled in a tumultuous divorce battle with Angelina
Pitt, 53, and Angelina are currently locked in a custody battle over their children.
Brad and Jolie - whose romance is believed to have begun during filming of Mr & Mrs Smith, while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston, in 2005 - are due back in court in February for a hearing in the ongoing case.
Pitt and his family allegedly got into an argument aboard a private plane in September, causing an anonymous source to call the DCFS.
Locked in: Pitt, 53, and Angelina are currently locked in a custody battle over their children (Pictured together in 2014)
Pitt was exonerated in November by officials with the FBI and LA DCFS amid accusations he was physically abusive to Maddox during the flight from France.
The actor is requesting to share joint physical and legal custody with Jolie, who wants sole physical custody with Pitt receiving scheduled visits.
In January, Jolie accused her estranged husband of 'publicly impugning' her character in court documents that claimed Pitt is 'terrified the public will learn the truth'.
The allegations came as she approved of Brad's request that their children's records be legally sealed, after he claimed their accessibility was a violation of privacy.
While Jolie at the time agreed with his motives, she accused Pitt of using court filings to deflect from his 'own role in the media storm that has engulfed' their children .
Jolie - who currently retains temporary physical custody of the children - remains undaunted in her attempts to get sole custody of the kids.
Battle: Jolie - who currently retains temporary physical custody of the children - remains undaunted in her attempts to get sole custody of the kids (Pictured in 2013)
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