h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Nicely done

Seems I did hear most of this before, including the apple bit, but that just shows that you're a researcher doing research, eh?

I wonder if you're aware of any tribes or groups that perform similar rituals on other species than their fellow human beings?

Most modern hunters want their "trophies" life-sized. Someone must have considered how much more portable they'd be using this method!

Interesting question. You're right, every other kind of hunter likes their trophies to be as big as possible. Maybe it's because keeping a regular-sized head around leads inevitably to the skin being torn and distorted as it dries and contracts around the skull. Perhaps someone figured that taking the skull out and deliberately accelerating the drying process would preserve the features. If I wanted a trophy of Tony Blair (for example), I would want everyone to see that it was Tony Blair's head I had.

Perhaps it's actually a compliment in a way. Look at death masks and busts that are commissioned for famous dead guys. It's a way of being remembered and living on after you're dead. Could the shrunken head serve a similar purpose?

Hmm. Got me thinking now.