The longevity of scalp collecting

[The Din]

Just wondering if it feasible to carry around a collection of scalps for an extended period of time, perhaps tied to one's belt? Curious as to whether the hair would fall out after a while, or the skin curl. Also, would the skin have to be cured or salted to stop from rotting, or just left to dry out?

My character is somewhat ashamed of his baldness, I was thinking to have him wear said scalps as makeshift wigs...

 

[SeverinR]

Wow, this is a tough research issue. How a scalp would react over time.

Wearing the scalps: If treated like an animal pelt, I believe they would last and might even be soft enough to wear, much like a fur coat.
The American scalping tradition, I don't believe they treated them. More of a way to pay a bounty for killing indians, I think they either burned them or decorated the building with them until they fell apart or blew away.

Any living skin will rot unless it is treated. Thus a mess of untreated scalps would be very nasty smelling when sold. Also the smell would draw insects. Flies, maggots, ants. Could carry disease with them, like rotting bodies would.

 

[San Cidolfus]

Scalps had a limited life span. Of the sort of cultures that harvested such grisly war trophies, little is ever said of their longevity. Basic logic would state that they wouldn't last unless treated, as SeverinR stated. So if your character were inclined to wear said scalps as a wig, he'd be inclined to treat them first.

I recall reading something, about the Scythians I want to say, in which they tied scalps to their belt. Untreated. So you can imagine what magnificent odors these warriors emanated. Of course, the ones writing about the Scythians were Greek, who didn't care for them much, so I wouldn't put too much stock in their account being unbiased.

As an aside, Mister the Din, I've noticed a commonality between your Research threads. I'm rather curious what your next macabre inquiry will be.

 

[The Din]

As an aside, Mister the Din, I've noticed a commonality between your Research threads. I'm rather curious what your next macabre inquiry will be.

I have noticed the same thing. (And no, I don't pull the wings off flies for kicks...) Simply put, I have not spent much time around the macabre, yet my WIP is set in a tragic, blood drenched world. I'm not about to write some half-arsed tale full of impossibilities (like rats trapped inside ribcages and three month old corpses), so I must scour the dank depths of my fellow scribes.

There's already plenty of posts on religion and clothes (neither of which I find worth writing about) and I have enough common sense to work much of the rest, but for the life of me, I just can't find any corpses lying around the place to study!

 

[Ravana]

Tan them properly, and they'll last as long as any other tanned flesh–in essence, indefinitely (though the hair may fall out over time if tugged against). Some shrunken heads have become heirlooms. Scalps would have an advantage over whole bodies in terms of resisting decomposition even if they aren't treated, given the thinness of the flesh involved: it could rapidly lose its moisture content, essentially mummifying naturally.

Whether one would even want to hang on to a scalp long enough for this to matter would depend on why the scalp was taken in the first place. Usually, as mentioned, scalping was a method for providing "proof" to collect bounties… and as far as I know, it was the Euros who taught Native Americans the practice. It has also served as a form of trophy collecting, however.

Ears are another popular choice for physical evidence–particularly since if you specify which one, you're guaranteed to only be paying out once per person. Certain other, uhm… parts with limited distribution… have also met this function from time to time.

You know: like thumbs.…

 

[grahamguitarman]

In the middle ages, during the Korean campaign, the Japanese samurai brought back barrels full of pickled noses to show the Shogun. As proof of their kill rates in Korea, full heads just took up too much space on the ships.

It would not be difficult to cure a scalp to make it last longer, its pretty easy to dry out such a thin piece of skin. Just as trappers would semi cure their skins before transporting them to trading posts, I suspect scalp hunters would have done the same.

Some westerners in the indian wars not only took scalps, but other 'souvenirs' too I seem to recall hearing about a tobacco pouch made from a native woman's breast and other such monstrosities.

to make a scalp into a wig would require extra work, but should be possible i think.

 

[Caged Maiden]

Out of curiosity, did you watch the show I posted about in your body question?

Just a note about wigs, because I'm not sure how many of you boys have worn one.... They're uncomfortable. Wigs were very popular throughout history, and though I have not done a lot of research about the subject except to see what styles and materials they were made from, it seems they were similar to what we wear now, but with human and horse hair rather than synthetic. Modern wigs are thinly-haired and the foundation is a breathable stretchy mesh. To wear a human scalp might be very very hot and uncomfortable, and frankly weird looking.
Wigs were made like anything else, by a specialist who made only wigs, like hatters made only hats, and seamstresses made only shirts and underwear..... Wig-making takes skill. There are several things about how to construct it that an average person will not know.
If your goal is a really creepy-looking guy who frightens the tar out of people, then perhaps the "I'm wearing someone's head" look is spot on. However, if your character is embarrassed by his flaw, then he might not want to draw bunch of attention to it by wearing something like that, even if he could deal with the discomfort.
I'd ask these questions....
1. How was it cured, and what is the resulting stiffness of the skin?
2. How thick is the hair, because there could be some hair loss with the drying. I don't know what happens to the pores of the skin if not properly tanned. A taxidermy site might help.
3. How will the edges of the skin be dealt with, it isn't stretchy mesh with the hair pointing to the outside, after all.
4. How is it attached to his head? Modern toupees are glued to the bald head and are specially constructed so that the hair looks natural?
I have some hair-on cowhide I use to decorate leather products, and it is thick skin with coarse hair. But, even pigskin which is very thin in comparison would not make a good wig foundation. I don't know what a human scalp feels like, but I'd be inclined to think it compared to the pigskin. Ive seen pigskin hoods, which turn out nice, and it would of course be possible to decorate boots, armor, helmets, or anything else with it. I hope that helps a little, at least in the question of the feasibility of wearing a scalp as a wig.

 

[The Din]

Out of curiosity, did you watch the show I posted about in your body question?

Yes I did, thanks for that, it was very informative. I've reworked my story so that the cadavers are of varying ages so as to include all the different stages of decomposition and thus paint an even more melancholy atmosphere for the dead(now dying) city.

As for my character's questionable hobby, I understand there would be discomfort in wearing a scalp, and that it would instill a somewhat ghoulish appearance, but he's a bit of a sociopath and that's the statement he wants to make, a final disrespect to his enemies so to speak.
As to the ergonomics of wearing a hacked up scalp, I plan to have him sew a headband of sorts to the circumference of the leather. This should help with the odd appearance (make it less obvious that it's not his own) and with keeping on his head.

Thanks everyone who posted, I hope to return the favor shortly.

 

[grahamguitarman]

I've tried a wig on for laughs, and being almost totally bald it was a very unpleasant itchy, scratchy feeling. I certainly wouldn't want to wear one full time (I'm not that fussed about being bald anyway so never try to hide it).

And yes though possible if you knew how to tan the scalp properly, it would be creepy seeing someone wearing another persons scalp. My initial thought was the killer in silence of the lambs wearing the scalp of one of his victims, creepy indeed. But then I just assumed that this is what the OP was looking for in the character.

 

[Caged Maiden]

it might be, I just wanted to point out that many things are possible, but it would be scary, not cover his baldness effectively. Since you mentioned the character was ashamed by the baldness, I can't imagine wanting to enunciate it with a horrific hairpiece, but then..... he's a bit nutty.
Unfortunately, the only person I could think of who might be able to answer this question from practical real-world experience is Ed Gein..... The rest of us can only make educated guesses from art and leather-working experience and knowing a little about modern wigs.