For a long time I’ve wanted a genuine shrunked head or “tsantsa” as they are traditionally called by the Jivaro Indians. Not a reproduction made of goat skin. Ebay doesnt seem to sell them. I seem to be attracted to them for the disturbing yet intriguing nature. Thank for any help or leads!!
I don’t think you can buy a genuine one legally: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a980731.html
I was worried about the legalities of acquiring such a distinguishable item. I thought there would be a private collection that I could find for sale. I do own several Cival War items like genuine bullets and buttons and bayonet tips and even a chewed bullet they used to use in surgery.
Well, I certainly couldn’t afford one at $16,800. Dunno about you.
wow, I had no idea lol. I figured it would be no more expensive than my real shark in a jar was. 
Have you tried the adverts by Google at the bottom of the posts?
Human Shrunken Heads
Authentic Human Shrunken Heads handmade in the Amazon by Jivaros.
Yes, those are $54 heads made of animal skin. :smack:
You do realize, of course, that these items are not in the same category as the actual head of a human being? It is/should be very illegal to buy or sell a human head.
Everybody likes a little head now and then. 
Shrunken head reproductions, some using baboon skin, eww.
I have never been very worried about what happens to my body after death.
For an immediate, upfront cash payment of $10,000, i will undertake to leave my head to you after my death. You are free to shrink it, kick it, or do whatever else you like with it.
I saw two shrunken human heads in a Children’s Museum when I was eleven. Even though I lived two hundred miles from those heads at the time and I never saw them again, they have “haunted” me for over fifty years. Strangely enough, although they are no longer on exhibit, I now live within a about four miles of where those pitiful specimens are stored.
Depends on how it was acquired. I don’t think it is generally illegal per se to buy or sell human body parts. Human skulls and skeletons can legally be purchased.
While the article says “selling heads was made illegal,” I suspect this refers to newly made heads in Ecuador and Peru. I would be surprised if it were illegal to sell a legally-obtained, privately-owned shrunken head everywhere in the US. But as the article says, any authentic Jivaro-made head would cost thousands of dollars if it could be obtained at all.
Sure, but then it’s anything but shrunken.
Funny timing. My husband and I were strolling around an antique shop earlier today and they have what they are claiming to be a real human shrunken head for sale.
The shop’s website with a picture of the shrunken head.
Of course you cant buy one … doh!
You have to make your own!
http://www.head-hunter.com/prep.html
I just saw on TV that the Obscura Antiques & Oddities shop in New York www.obscuraantiques.com just aquired an authentic human shrunken head, which:
- They verified through Ronald Kuby (the reknown NY attorney), was legal for them to both purchase and sell.
- They verified it was an authentic human head
- They have it for sale in their store (along with a WHOLE BUNCH of cool, unusual, odd, weird, unique, rare items.
As they only have one, since they are obviously rare, I am unsure how long they will have it for sale. Then again, I’m not certain about the demand for such items.
I actually saw this information on the Science Channel’s show ‘Oddities’, Episode “Rock Star Embalmer”, after which, I did a search on google looking for information on “authentic shrunken head”, out of curiosity. Which is both how I found this message board, and this question.
I figured that although this is somewhat of an old post, the topic was unique enough and rare enough, that I should respond, so that those who google this information topic in the future, can possibly find an answer and satisfy their curiosity.
I remember seeing one in the Field Museum in Chicago.
Saw several, in various museums, in South America. And a couple for sale in antique stores. And fakes for sale on the streets. You just know the husband had to have one, proudly displayed under glass.
Speaking of Obscura, I happened to click by on the channel and saw a guy selling a human skull encrusted with Buddhist symbols, stones, etc. Damn if the husband doesn’t actually own one of those! Proudly displayed between the shrunken head and a stone carving of a warriors head, from Timor. But I didn’t see either what they paid for it or what they’re selling it for, and you just know he’s dying for that tidbit of info. Anyone see the show?
He bought it in Kathmandu, started bargaining the day before we were leaving on a bus to India. He is first, and foremost a hard bargainer/cheap prick. And the vendor didn’t seem to be moving on the price. He kept insisting he wouldn’t buy it unless he got his price. (I expressed no opinion on it, as to do so, would only encourage the boy!)
I was praying, and praying that they were both hard headed enough to stand firm. The morning we were getting on the bus he was back at the shop, ‘Just one more try!’. He arrives, in the very nick of time, for the bus and damn, if he doesn’t have the thing!
We carried it around India for 2 months. We had our bags xrayed numerous times, and yet no one spotted a human skull! I was just waiting for someone to take the thing away from him but, no. We mailed it home with a bunch of other stuff we’d bought, from Bangkok. I made sure he took pictures of it, confident it would never get through. But no one seemed to care and today it sits on the top shelf of the bookcase in the dining room. Y’know, with his other heads. I’m almost afraid to travel with him again, I mean, what next?