Shrinking Heads - Cuenca, Ecuador

There are so many museums in Cuenca I've realized I need to explore them based on geographical location rather than try and fly through them all in a few days.

Starting with Museo del Banco Central brought me up close and personal with the shrunken heads of the Shuar. Oddly, this is the only exhibit in the museum with both English and Spanish descriptions. That must say something about the curiosity of the tourists!

The process of shrinking a head is rather complex and I was astounded how the features are retained. Basically the skull is removed and the remaining cavity is filled with hot sand. The head is continually rotated while the sand cools to ensure uniform drying. Several applications of hot sand are necessary and the whole process can take many days.

The purpose of shrinking the heads is to destroy the evil spirit of the soul of the person who was killed. According to the placards at the museum, the Shuar believed they were performing a great service for the planet in decapitating their enemies.

Quite honestly, the rest of the museum felt a bit like Disneyland. It's basically a collection of dioramas representing the various indigenous groups of Ecuador. There was basically zero explanation, in any language, of the traditions, customs or way of life of the people depicted.

Adjacent to the Museo del Banco are the Pumapungo Ruins. The ruins are believed to be the spiritual and ceremonial center of the Incan city of Tomebamba. Sadly, after the Spanish conquest many of the stones from the site were used to form the foundations of the colonial buildings in the town centre. Supposedly the site bears evidence of the pre-Columbian tradition of burying a man alive in the foundation to give it strength.

Ruins of Pumpapungo

All-in-all this museum visit was just a tad macabre! Thankfully my tour through Museo de las Culturas Aborigines was way less gruesome. Room after room filled with artifacts from every Ecuadorian culture from 13000 BC up to the Spanish conquest. 

What I found most interesting was the vast collection of decorative stamps. Carved on cylinders of stone, the designs were quite intricate and were rolled in plant dyes to create a border on the object to which they were rolled. For some reason I always enjoy seeing an infusion of beauty in the implements of daily life!

Clockwise from upper left: water vessel, Macanas (battle-axe), decorative figurine, carved stamps, large water vessel, primitive game board and a collection of bowls.