DNA authenticates South American Shrunken Head (well I'll be.....)

Remarkably well-preserved shrunken head has just been authenticated by DNA analysis, which provides strong evidence that anecdotal accounts of violent head-hunting in South America were true. The study, published in the latest issue of Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, marks the first successful effort to unveil the genetic make-up of a shrunken head.

"The shrunken heads were made from enemies' heads cut on the battlefield," co-author Gila Kahila Bar-Gal told Discovery News. "Then, during spiritual ceremonies, enemies' heads were carefully reduced through boiling and heating, in the attempt to lock the enemy's spirit and protect the killers from spiritual revenge."

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0196a867cd21.jpg[/atsimg]
DNA analysis of this shrunken head displayed at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv proved its authenticity. The head remains in an incredible state of preservation, with the deceased man's hair, facial features and other physical characteristics intact

The researchers determined that the skin belonged to a man who lived and died in South America "probably in the Afro-Ecuadorian population." The genes reveal the victim's ancestors were from West Africa, but his DNA profile matches that of modern populations from Ecuador with African admixture.

Source: archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com...

Hey Now.... sucks to be the loser of that fight. You know, I always saw the whole shrunken head thing as a bunch of bull crap. Wondering how they could actually shink bone and things.

This just blew my mind. On two levels. The acutal confirmation of the shrunken head being read but more so this statement: the skin belonged to a man who lived and died in South America "probably in the Afro-Ecuadorian population

My mind blew then. Africans were in S. America-then, that early? This is news to me. Is this common knowledge?

Anyway, too freaking crazy.

Everything you need to know about shrinking heads is here, I believe:
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f5fcba8fb485.jpg[/atsimg]
en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by anon72


Yes, it is possible. To accomplish the shrinking, the skull is removed and the rest is preserved and shrunken.

A slit is made in the neck and up the back of the head, allowing the skin and hair to be carefully peeled from the skull. The skull is then discarded into the river and left as a gift to the pani, the anaconda.

How To Prepare a Shrunken Head

Disclaimer: I do not practice this nor am I condoning this practice. Just saying it is possible and is done.

Don't lose your head.



Be Well.

reply to post by Bishop2199



Okay, all fine and dandy but who in the hell are the actual people doing the task?

It can't be a fun task. Gotta be messy and smelly.

Glad I live today.

The practice was still being used as late as the 1960's, with shrunken heads being sold to tourists. In fact it was tourism sales that led to it being outlawed. It's not something that was done only in pre-columbian times, so it's really not that big a deal that the DNA of this head belonged to someone with African genomes.

reply to post by Blackmarketeer


I just find it hard to believe that there were Africans in S. and or C. America. This concept is new to me as I was taught the same old that they didn't come to the Americas until the US Slave trading days. Which I believe was was after these heads.

News to me. Learn something everyday.

Do you have any info that I can read about this-like where you heard/learned it from. Thanks.

reply to post by anon72


Since at least 1492, right? That is a long time for a different tribe to have developed some afrocentric genetics. 500 some odd years, possibly?

But who knows. Did they confirm the date of this persons death?

Didn't know head shrinking was in doubt, in fact National Geographic did a special on it called In Search of Head Hunters. And they met a tribe in the Amazon I believe that told them how it was done, by removing the skull, dipping it in hot water and inserting hot rocks to shrink it down. It's an amazing special really.

Originally posted by Golithion
Didn't know head shrinking was in doubt, in fact National Geographic did a special on it called In Search of Head Hunters. And they met a tribe in the Amazon I believe that told them how it was done, by removing the skull, dipping it in hot water and inserting hot rocks to shrink it down. It's an amazing special really.

Me either.
I thought it was accepted/known to be real. lol
I didnt think people actually believed it was a "hoax" or something.