“Tsantsa” or Shrunken Head of a warrior, via Real Shrunken Heads, 2017. In the 90 years since lawmakers made the sale of tsantsas illegal, it may have still been practiced by the older generations. But the more Western culture and religion seeped into the area, the less these rituals were executed.
What are real shrunken heads?
The shrunken heads, or tsantsas, were made by the Shuar and Achuar people who live in the rainforests of Ecuador and Peru. They were created by peeling back the skin and hair of a human skull of a dead male enemy, with the bones, brain and other matter being discarded.Mar 6, 2019
What does a shrunken head symbolize?
The practice of preparing shrunken heads originally had religious significance; shrinking the head of an enemy was believed to harness the spirit of that enemy and compel him to serve the shrinker. It was said to prevent the soul from avenging his death.
What religion uses shrunken heads?
In the Shuar culture, shrunken heads (or ”tsantsas”) are extremely important religious symbols.
Why did they shrink heads?
Originally, shrinking heads had a religious significance for the tribes in the northwestern region of the Amazon rainforest. Shrinking the head of an enemy was believed to tackle the spirit of that enemy. Shrinking heads was said to prevent the soul from avenging his death.