How to Create a Shrunken Head

It’s basically a matter of tanning and taxidermy. However, real shrunken heads originally held religious significance, so the process involved ritual steps, skill, and artistry.

1. Decapitation was the first step. Severing the head stripped the enemy of his power. The skull had to be removed because the shrinking process didn’t affect bone. An incision was made at the back of the head behind the ears and the skin and flesh were removed from the cranium.

2. The next step was to seal the eyes, mouth, and usually nose. The purpose was to prevent the spirit of the slain enemy from escaping and avenging its death. Wooden pins sealed the lips. The eyelids were stitched shut. Red seeds were placed inside the nostrils.

3. Once the head had been prepared, a wooden ball or rock was placed inside the skin to help the face keep its form. The head was shrunk by boiling it in water for at least an hour, but not much over two hours or else the hair would fall out. Sometimes the water was saturated with tannins from herbs, but simply boiling the flesh was enough to cause the collagen fibers of the skin to contract. After boiling, the head would be about a third its original side, darker in color, and rubbery.

4. The next step was to finish the tanning process and dry the head. The skin would be turned inside out so the remaining flesh could be scraped away. Then, the face would be turned right-side out and stuffed with hot stones and sand. The heat would cause the head to contract from the inside.

5. Finishing the shrunken head wasn’t just a matter of arranging the hair and adding beads. The back of the head would be stitched closed. Pins were removed from the mouth and the lips would be stitched shut. A hot rock was used to iron the skin of the face and mold the features. Charcoal ash would be rubbed over the face to darken the features. Finally, the head would be hung over a fire until it was hard and black.
   

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME

Source:

https://sciencenotes.org/how-shrunken-heads-are-made/