From U Paris: Shrunken head (tsantsa): A complete forensic analysis procedure for global repatriation of human artifacts to native communities

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22742740

Forensic Sci Int. 2012 Jun 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Shrunken head (tsantsa): A complete forensic analysis procedure.

Charlier P, Huynh-Charlier I, Brun L, Hervé C, de la Grandmaison GL.

Source

Department of Forensic Pathology and Medicine, University Hospital R. Poincaré (AP-HP, UVSQ), 92380 Garches, France; Department of Medical Ethics, University of Paris 5, 45 Saints-Pères street, 75006 Paris, France.

Abstract

Based on the analysis of shrunken heads referred to our forensic laboratory for anthropological expertise, and data from both anthropological and medical literature, we propose a complete forensic procedure for the analysis of such pieces. A list of 14 original morphological criteria has been developed, based on the global aspect, color, physical deformation, anatomical details, and eventual associated material (wood, vegetal fibers, sand, charcoals, etc.). Such criteria have been tested on a control sample of 20 tsantsa (i.e. shrunken heads from the Jivaro or Shuar tribes of South America). Further complementary analyses are described such as CT-scan and microscopic examination. Such expertise is more and more asked to forensic anthropologists and practitioners in a context of global repatriation of human artifacts to native communities.