Human skull with incised designs

The practice of carving patterns onto skulls was unique to the Kayan Dayak tribe. However, it is not fully understood why skulls were decorated in such a manner. The ritual life of some Dayak groups required human sacrifices to ensure fertility and appease demonic spirits believed to cause illness, disease or crop failure. Headhunting was a component of warfare among enemy groups, where the goal was to enslave those captured and remove the heads of certain individuals for ritual purposes. A human head was believed to contain a powerful spiritual essence that could be harnessed to improve the community’s well being. Today, the Malaysian and Indonesian governments have outlawed headhunting.

See related items

Skull cap

Alexander McQueen skulls and bones print wool blazer

Alexander McQueen skulls and bones print shirt

Ring with incised design on stone