Head trophy
For the Naga, a head trophy was no longer just a part of a deceased person. Rather, it was transformed into an object of the highest socio-cultural value in the course of elaborate ceremonies. However, at the time when headhunting was still practised, the Naga themselves had an ambivalent relationship to this practice: for them, it was both a ritual joy and a painful fate. From today's Baptist perspective, it is considered a "satanic visitation".
For the Naga, a head trophy was no longer just a part of a deceased person. Rather, it was transformed into an object of the highest socio-cultural value in the course of elaborate ceremonies. However, at the time when headhunting was still practised, the Naga themselves had an ambivalent relationship to this practice: for them, it was both a ritual joy and a painful fate. From today's Baptist perspective, it is considered a "satanic visitation".
Collector:
Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf (1909 Wien - 1995 London) DNB
Object Name
Kopf
Culture
Nagaland
Material/technology:
Menschenschädel, Holz, Gras
Copyright
Weltmuseum Wien
Collection area
South Asia, Southeast Asia, Himalayas
Invs.
126826