Shrunken head

Imagine you have a toy stuffed animal that you love very much. Now, imagine someone took that toy and squished it so much that it became really small and wrinkly. A shrunken head is like that, but with a real human head!

Long ago, in some tribes of South America, it was a tradition to make shrunken heads to honor their enemies. They believed that the head contained the person's spirit, so they thought that by shrinking it, they could take control of that spirit.

To make a shrunken head, first, the head would be removed from the body. Then, the skin was carefully cut and peeled from the skull, without cutting the neck or spine. Next, the head would be boiled in a mixture of water, herbs, and bark for several hours until the skin was soft. Once the skin was soft, the bones were removed, and the skin was turned inside out. The skull was discarded or used for other purposes, and the skin was sewn shut and dried with hot rocks or sand.

Finally, the head would be decorated with feathers, paint, or other objects. Once it was complete, it could be hung from a string or worn around the neck as a symbol of honor or respect.

Although this practice is no longer common, shrunken heads can still be found in some museums or private collections. It's important to remember that making shrunken heads is not a respectful or ethical practice, and it's important to treat all human remains with dignity and respect.