A ESPECIALLY NICE IKAT (CEREMONIAL WOVEN FABRIC/ART) CLOSED ON EBAY #280379146499 THESE WEAVINGS OFTEN TELL A STORY OF THE BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TRIBE WHO MADE THEM AND IF A PERSON UNDERSTOOD THEY COULD LEARN QUITE A LOT ABOUT THE CUSTOMS AND BELIEFS. THIS ONE HAS A VERY GOOD REPRESENTATION OF THE SKULL TREES JUST OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE WHERE SKULLS WERE LEFT TO ROT AND TO BE WON OVER TO GIVING THEIR SPIRITUAL POWER TO THE VILLAGE WHO KILLED THEM. THIS ONE IS FROM SUMBA/TIMOR INDONESIA. ONCE THE SPIRITS WERE WON OVER THEY COULD SAFELY BE BROUGHT INTO THE VILLAGE.
I HAVE SEEN THE SALAMPASU TRIBE OF AFRICA REFEREDTO AS HEADHUNTERS BUT DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS. SEVERAL TRIBES HAVE STRANGE FORMS OF EXECUTION BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT PART THE BEHEADING PLAYED OR IF THE HEADS WERE KEPT.
IN NEW GUINEA AS MENTIONED THERE ARE THE HEADS OF ANCESTORS KEPT AND IN SOME AREAS THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE WOODCARVED BASE CALLED A KORWAR. I HAVE SEEN SKULL RACKS WITH MANY SKULLS AS WELL AND SUSPECT THOSE WERE THE SKULLS FROM THE ENEMY.
SKULLS AND OTHER BODY PARTS WERE USED AT TIMES AS BOUNDARY MARKERS A SORT OF NO TRESSPASSING SIGN. IN THE AZTEC CITIES THERE WERE VERY LARGE SKULL RACKS WITH THE SKULLS OF THOSE SACRIFICED TO THE GODS. THERE WAS A SPECIAL SKULL PLATFORM FOR THE BEST BALL PLAYER OF THE GAMES NEAR THE MAIN STADIUM WHERE THE IMPORTANT BALL GAMES WERE PLAYED. IF YOU WERE VOTED BEST PLAYER YOU HAD THE HONOR OF BEING SACRIFICED AND YOUR SKULL JOINED ALL THE OTHER GREAT PLAYERS ON THE PODIUM.
AS TO CANNIBALS NOT BEING HEADHUNTERS IT WOULD DEPEND IF THEY ATE THE HEAD IF SO NO TROPHY. IN FIJI THEY USUALLY FINISHED OFF A ENEMY WITH A HEAVY CLUB STRIKE TO THE HEAD WHICH WOULD CAUSE DAMMAGE AND I THINK BRAINS WERE A FAVORED DISH. THE TEETH WERE OFTEN KEPT AND SOMETIMES USED FOR INLAY IN WAR CLUBS AND SUCH.
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