A funerary reliquary, Upper Ogowe, Gabon

A Shuar shrunken head (tsantsa) from Ecuador with a stitched mouth and feather headdress.

Human skull inscribed with prayers for the deceased. Collected by Robert Baden Powell's Asante (Ghana) expedition 1895

Human skull with painted features and cowrie shell eyes. The hair is real. Said to have been used in rituals associated with ancestor worship. Papua New Guinea

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A funerary reliquary in which have been placed the bones (usually vertebrae) of the deceased. Designed to both protect ancestors from evil forces and to help the living communicate with and appeal to their ancesters for good health and success in hunting. Upper Ogowe, Gabon

Shaman's mask with human features and a removable bird's beak. Haida people, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada

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Ceremonial

Images

Works

A funerary reliquary, Upper Ogowe, Gabon

Shaman's mask with human features and a removable bird's beak. Haida people, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada

Human skull inscribed with prayers for the deceased. Collected by Robert Baden Powell's Asante (Ghana) expedition 1895

Human skull with painted features and cowrie shell eyes. The hair is real. Said to have been used in rituals associated with ancestor worship. Papua New Guinea

Human skull inscribed with prayers for the deceased. Collected by Robert Baden Powell's Asante (Ghana) expedition 1895

Today’s opening times

Wellcome uses cookies.

Ceremonial

Images

Works

A funerary reliquary, Upper Ogowe, Gabon

Shaman's mask with human features and a removable bird's beak. Haida people, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada

Human skull inscribed with prayers for the deceased. Collected by Robert Baden Powell's Asante (Ghana) expedition 1895

Human skull with painted features and cowrie shell eyes. The hair is real. Said to have been used in rituals associated with ancestor worship. Papua New Guinea

Human skull inscribed with prayers for the deceased. Collected by Robert Baden Powell's Asante (Ghana) expedition 1895

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times