Exceptional! Ethnographic Shrunken Head "Tsantsa", Shuar (Jivaro) Tribe, Amazon Region, Brazil

Exceptional! Ethnographic shrunken head "tsantsa", Shuar (Jivaro) tribe, Amazon region, Brazil, South America, approximately mid-20th century.
A "tsantsa" shrunken head made of skin with clearly defined facial features, long black (real) hair, a decorated headband, and lips laced shut with thick cords to prevent the "escape of the spirit" — precisely in keeping with the tribal custom.
Intended for spiritual and ceremonial purposes, including:
"Imprisonment of the Muisak" (the avenging soul): to trap the enemy's spirit within the shrunken skull.
Absorption of the enemy's power: beyond protection against retribution, tribal members believed that possessing the shrunken head transferred the strength of the defeated warrior to the victorious warrior and his tribe.
Deterrence of enemies: a threatening status symbol of victorious warriors, displayed during ceremonies and celebrations to demonstrate power and intimidate rivals.
This is a souvenir item made for a ritual that had already been outlawed, produced as an ethnographic collectible in response to the strong interest of researchers and tourists in this culture.
Bears an attached label in Spanish attesting that the item originates from the Shuar (Jivaro) tribe of the upper Amazon region, Brazil.
Total length approximately 14 cm.
19 g.
Light wear; slight shedding of hair.
The paper label is worn and partially missing.