[VANDOO]

THE SPECIAL SIGNIFICENE OF SKULLS TO PRIMATIVE PEOPLES GOES BACK WAY BEFORE HISTORY. THEY HAVE BEEN REVERED AS SACRED OBJECTS OR TOTUMS OR AS HUNTING TROPHIES SHOWING THE STRENGTH OF THE HUNTER OR THE TRIBE. SOME HAVE BEEN DECORATED AND WORN AS COSTUMES DURING CEREMONIES OR PLACED IN PLACES OF HONOR IN THE LODGES OR AROUND THE CAMP. THEY HAVE BEEN PAINTED, DECORATED WITH FIBER , FEATHERS, STONES, SHELLS, AND CARVED, ECT. SOME ARE OVERMODELED WITH CLAY OR RESINS TO LOOK MORE ALIVE AND INSET WITH HAIR, SHELLS ECT. THIS HAS BEEN CUSTOMARY ESPECIALLY IN NEW GUINEA AND SURROUNDING AREAS. SMOKED HEADS AND SHRUNKEN HEADS AS WELL AS BARE SKULLS WERE KEPT IN QUITE A FEW SOCIETYS AROUND THE WORLD FROM ANCIENT TIMES UP UNTIL THE PRESENT IN SOME AREAS.
MOST CARVED SKULLS LIKE THE ONE ABOVE THAT I HAVE SEEN RECENTLY WERE SAID TO HAVE ORIGINATED AROUND BORNEO AND SOME OF THE OTHER ISLANDS, I HAVE SEEN NICELY DONE DEER SKULLS AND ANTLERS CARVED IN BALI. THE BEAR, BUFFALOW, EAGLE AND JAUGUAR SKULLS WERE ESPECIALLY REVERED BY THE TRIBES IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. IN BORNEO THE HUMAN SKULL AND HORNBILL AND PERHAPS CROCODILE SKULLS HELD THE MOST INPORTANCE. MARINE MAMMALS NO DOUBT HELD SOME SPECIAL IMPORTANCE IN THE SOCIETYS WHO HUNTED THEM AS DID THE SEA TURTLE.
SEVERAL PICTURES OF VARIOUS CARVED SKULLS FOR COMPARASON. WATER BUFFALOW, PIG, MONKEY, ORANGUTAN AND BEAR. TWO EXAMPLES OF THE OVERLAYED SKULLS FROM NEW GUINEA (CROCODILE AND PIG)
THE CARVING ON THE WATER BUFFALOW SKULL LOOKS LIKE BALI WORK MOST OF THE OTHERS LOOK LIKE DAYAK WORK.