The shrunken head once owned by famed New York pop artist Andy Warhol—aka “The Warhol Head”—has found a new home, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Times Square today announced. The Warhol Head will become part of the world’s largest collection of shrunken heads at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square Odditiorium, joining twenty-three others.
The Warhol Head, pictured above, originally belonged to a warrior in the jungles of Ecuador, who lost it in a battle with the Jivaro Indians. The Jivaros claimed the heads of enemies as symbols of bravery and displayed them—reduced to fist size—as war trophies. To shrink a head, the Jivaros slit the back of the neck and peeled the skin away from the skull. Once the skull was removed, they sewed the head, including the eyes and mouth, back together to ensure that the spirit of the dead did not come back to haunt them. Hot stones and sand were poured into the vacant cavity and the head was boiled in a broth of secret herbs. Finally, the miniaturized head was cured over an open fire to give it a distinctive leathery texture then decorated, in this case, with a headband adorned with the carapaces of iridescent green jungle beetles.
The Warhol Head was owned by Mr. Warhol from 1959-1972, when he sold it through the Winston House Gallery in New York City. From there it was owned by two different collectors of tribal art before being purchased by Ripley’s Entertainment this year. Ripley’s Entertainment is also in possession of a shrunken head once owned by another famous American, Ernest Hemingway.
“Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square welcomes the Warhol Head into its extraordinary 24-piece collection of shrunken heads,” said Ripley’s Times Square General Manager Michael Hirsch. “Each of these heads has its own vibe and personality and we very much look forward to getting to know the Warhol Head. Staff has reported chattering among the collection late at night about the new celebrity neighbor, but I’m not sure whether I believe that or not.”
About Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square
Situated in the heart of Times Square in Manhattan, New York, Ripley's Believe It or Not! offers visitors the ultimate insight into the world of the odd and bizarre. Hundreds of weird and unusual artifacts are displayed in more than 20 themed galleries spanning two floors. Whether examining a six-legged cow, a lock of Elvis' hair, 24 shrunken heads (the most on public display anywhere on the planet), a section of the Berlin wall, or a life-size albino giraffe, the amazing Ripley's Believe It or Not! collection proves that fact is indeed stranger than fiction. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Times Square (www.ripleysnewyork.com) is located at 234 West 42nd Street and is open daily 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Call
About Ripley Entertainment Inc.
Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com), keepers of the venerable Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand, is a global leader in location-based entertainment. More than 13 million guests visit its 60-plus attractions operating in 12 countries annually. The Orlando-based company also has divisions that oversee publishing, licensing and broadcast operations. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.
