Skull trophies on shelves in the Morung

B&W photographic print. 'The head-hunting trophies are kept here. When a head is taken, it is first placed at the foot of this erect stone, then put into a basket and left to rot in the jungle. When more or less clean, it is hoisted up on this pole and left there until the next annual ceremony...

Full description


Date(s) of creation: 22 October 1923
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
URL: http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004341
URL Description: Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections

collection SOAS Archive
id PP_MS_58.02.C.19
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber PP MS 58/02/C/19
callnumber_txt PP MS 58/02/C/19
callnumber-sort PP MS 58/02/C/19
prefix_number 19
title Skull trophies on shelves in the Morung
scb_date_creation 22 October 1923
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 1 photograph
author Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
author_facet Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
authorStr Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
author_letter Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist
format Archive
description B&W photographic print. 'The head-hunting trophies are kept here. When a head is taken, it is first placed at the foot of this erect stone, then put into a basket and left to rot in the jungle. When more or less clean, it is hoisted up on this pole and left there until the next annual ceremony which is celebrated when the young crops have grown high and are due for their first weeding. After this, the head is taken down and transferred to the Ang's collection, or placed in the Morung, when its fertility or "soul- force" will be transferred to the village.'
scb_access_status Open
scb_copyright Copyright held by J.P. Mills
language No linguistic content
language_search No linguistic content
scb_scripts_material Unwritten
scb_physc_charac_tech_reqs 12 x 7 cm
scb_copies Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections
note Skulls
Headhunters
Naga (South Asian people)
Ethnic group: Naga
Ethnic group: Konyak Naga
Chui is alternately spelled Chi
scb_url http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004341
scb_url_description Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections
hierarchy_top_id_raw PP MS 58
hierarchy_sequence PP_MS_58.0002.00C.0019