The act of headhunting has been recorded particularly in regions of the Amazon rainforest, as well as among various groups in Ecuador and Peru, serving purposes such as ritual, trophy collection, trade, or other intentions.
These unnervingly altered heads are reduced in size, as implied by their name, through a meticulous process designed to shrink them from their original form while they were part of a living body.
A recently created simulation has exposed the unsettling details of the steps taken to produce such heads.
The YouTube video by Zack D. Films outlines how warriors would begin by ‘removing the skull and skin from the head of a defeated foe’.
After decapitation, an incision would be made behind the ear to detach flesh from the skull.
The simulation shows the warrior meticulously sewing the eyes and mouth of their victim closed, ‘to prevent the spirit of the enemy from taking vengeance’.
The shrinking ritual held religious significance, as it was believed that the soul could ‘escape’ from the head and exact revenge on its slayer.
According to the simulation, the subsequent step involved boiling the head to preserve the skin’s integrity.
Some sources suggest a wooden ball was used to maintain the head’s shape.
This critical phase was essential to reduce the head’s size while preserving its facial characteristics, as explained by the simulation.
Lastly, the significantly reduced head was filled with hot stones and sand, further causing it to shrink.
The educational video notes that these heads were often worn as trophies or used in rituals ‘for protection and power’.
Viewers of the YouTube channel have expressed their thoughts on the simulation, which premiered on Christmas Day, with comments stating that Zack ‘never disappoints’.
One viewer mentioned that the content ‘never fails to traumatize, never runs out of ideas’ and suggested that the animators ‘deserve a raise’.
Another person commented: “Not even Christmas can spare me from his nightmarish animation,” while some made light-hearted remarks saying ‘merry Christmas’ and expressed satisfaction in watching this unique ‘tutorial’.
“Displaying your enemy’s head as a trophy is intense,” one commenter noted.