Severed: A History of Heads Lost and Heads Found
Description
The human head has long captivated our imagination—it houses our senses, our thoughts, and our identity—yet throughout history, Western civilization has developed a dark obsession with severed heads and skulls. In this meticulously researched exploration, anthropologist Frances Larson traces the disturbing fascination with decapitated remains across centuries, from colonial collectors who sparked massacres for shrunken heads to World War II soldiers who sent Japanese remains home as macabre souvenirs. She examines how this morbid preoccupation has manifested in art, science, and popular culture, from Madame Tussaud's wax modeling of guillotined heads to contemporary artists like Damien Hirst documenting the dead in morgues. Through compelling historical narratives and cultural analysis, Larson reveals how our relationship with the severed head reflects deeper anxieties about mortality, identity, and what it means to be human. A thought-provoking and unsettling journey into one of civilization's most troubling obsessions.
Available Editions
paperback
Liveright Publishing Corporation
Published Jan 1, 2014
336 pages
ISBN: 9780871404954
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Details
First Published
2014
Language
eng
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for Severed: A History of Heads Lost and Heads Found by Frances Larson.