Photograph Of Tsantzas Shrunken Heads From South America, C. 1960 - Vintage Silver Print

Shrunken heads, c. 1960.
Vintage silver print, stamp on the back.

This photograph shows fascinating trophy heads, their mouths tied with cotton threads, one of them displayed inside a sphere.
Tsantzas, or shrunken heads, were acquired during nocturnal war expeditions. These were acts guided by a desire for justice. Thus, to take revenge on a man, a warrior fought him. Once the adversary was killed, he beheaded him and reduced his head.
The main purpose of the Tsantzas was to paralyze the vengeful spirit of the enemy ("Muisak"), to lock it up so that it would not come and take revenge on the murderer, or on the spirits of his ancestors. Each successful raid was followed by three major festivals, spaced out over about three years. The last and most important was followed by dances where the bloodstained warriors wielded Tsantzas.
These could be worn by the victorious warriors, giving them their personal powers, their arutam (strength, courage, wisdom ...). The more tsantsa the warrior owned, the more power he had.
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Dimensions:
20.5 x 25.5 cm
vs. 30.5 x 40.5 cm with frame