Ecuador – Head Shrinking Process

This is less about photography and more about a fascinating history of culture.

The Jivaro clan who lived deep in the Ecuadorian, and neighboring Peruvian Amazon. were known for the ancient practice of shrinking human heads. Most Jivaro Indians considered any victory over the enemy as incomplete if they were unable to return without one or more enemy heads as trophies. More importantly, the reason behind shrinking the heads was to paralyze the spirit of the enemy attached to the head so that it cannot escape and take revenge upon the murderer.

The above composite panorama shot at the Inti Nan Museum outside Quito depicts the process of shrinking the heads.