WYBI: Real, Authenticated Shrunken Heads

I may be way off on this, but haven't scientists determined that shrunken heads are myths and there isn't actually a way to shrink them?

thought I saw this on one of those "myths debunked" specials.

Nope. Don't need that voodoo shite, especially in 2020.

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Headhunting has occurred in many regions of the world, but the practice of headshrinking has only been documented in the northwestern region of the Amazon rainforest.[1] Jivaroan peoples which includes the Shuar, Achuar, Huambisa and Aguaruna tribes from Ecuador and Peru are known to have shrunken human heads.

Shuar people call a shrunken head a tsantsa,[2] also transliterated tzantza. Many tribe leaders would show off their heads to scare enemies.

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quote:

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The process of creating a shrunken head begins with removing the skull from the neck. An incision is made on the back of the ear and all the skin and flesh is removed from the cranium. Red seeds are placed underneath the nostrils and the lips are sewn shut. The mouth is held together with three palm pins. Fat from the flesh of the head is removed. Then a wooden ball is placed under the flesh in order to keep the form. The flesh is then boiled in water that has been saturated with a number of herbs containing tannins. The head is then dried with hot rocks and sand, while molding it to retain its human features. The skin is then rubbed down with charcoal ash. Decorative beads may be added to the head.

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LINK

quote:

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The process of creating a shrunken head begins with removing the skull from the neck. An incision is made on the back of the ear and all the skin and flesh is removed from the cranium. Red seeds are placed underneath the nostrils and the lips are sewn shut. The mouth is held together with three palm pins. Fat from the flesh of the head is removed. Then a wooden ball is placed under the flesh in order to keep the form. The flesh is then boiled in water that has been saturated with a number of herbs containing tannins. The head is then dried with hot rocks and sand, while molding it to retain its human features. The skin is then rubbed down with charcoal ash. Decorative beads may be added to the head.

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I mean, that's how I do it, but your mileage may vary. You will develop your own technique and process over time.

The question is could you resist sniffing it?

quote:

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The question is could you resist sniffing it?

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I have a smelling obsession, so if it smells leathery like a new car, new shoes, or a batting glove, I'm likely to become a shrunken head huffer.

Technically the last two pics are counterfeit. Anthropology at LSU showed the difference. Dr. Manheim points out the lack of sutures in the mouth area.

Hey, nobody knows better, right?

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