Archaeologists in the Nasca region of Peru discovered a headless skeleton with this ceramic "replacement" head beside it. The head "jar" and skeleton were from AD 450 to 550, according to Texas State University researcher Christina Conlee. Evidence suggests that the previous owner of this skeleton, a 20 to 25-year-old male, was killed in a human sacrifice. From National Geographic:
The archaeologist also noted that the head jar is painted with the reversible image of a human face that can be seen right-side up or upside down, suggesting that the jar might have been meant as a substitute for the victim's missing head."The La Tiza head jar was a rather literal replacement and reflects the Nasca belief that a person needed to have a head when he entered the afterlife," Conlee said.
The jar also bears evidence of having been used before the burial. Conlee said that decorations on head jars suggest they were used for both human- and crop-fertility rituals.
