Scalping is the act of removing the scalp, usually with the hair, as a trophy of war and is regarded as characteristic of some groups of Native American, although it was also practised by the Scythians.

Origins

Scalping in North America

Scalping is believed to have been a tradition in Plains Native Americans, who may have been isolated from European settlers until later in the colonization of the north America [1]. Another theory is that Native Americans learned the practice of scalping from the Europeans. Although archaeologists have found a few prehistoric human remains in the Americas with show evidence of cut marks on the skulls, they disagree about whether these marks are evidence of scalping. No evidence exists that scalping was a widespread practice in the Americas before European contact. If it was practised, it was done by very few tribes and then very infrequently.

Scalping by Europeans

However, scalping was a well-established tradition for certain groups in Europe at some periods. Herodotus, the Greek historian, wrote of the Scythians in B.C. 440: "The Scythian soldier scrapes the scalp clean of flesh and softening it by rubbing between the hands, uses it thenceforth as a napkin. The Scyth is proud of these scalps and hangs them from his bridle rein; the greater the number of such napkins that a man can show, the more highly is he esteemed among them. Many make themselves cloaks by sewing a quantity of these scalps together."

Records also show that the Earl of Wessex scalped his enemies in 11th century and later the English paid bounties for Irish heads. Because scalps were easier to transport and store than heads, European headhunters sometimes scalped their victims rather than decapitating them.

In 1706 the governor of Pennsylvania offered 130 pieces of eight for the scalp of any Indian male over twelve years of age and 50 pieces of eight for a woman’s scalp. Because it was impossible for those who paid the bounty to determine the sex, and sometimes the age, of the victim from the scalp alone, killing women and children became a way to make easy money. See also the British Scalp Proclamation of 1756. [2]

During the French and Indian Wars and later during the war between the British and the Colonists, both the British and the French encouraged their Indian allies to scalp their enemies providing them with metal scalping knives.

The practice of paying bounties for Indian scalps did not end until the 1800s.

Alternate meanings

Scalping can also refer to the slang term for buying tickets to a public event such as a musical concert, show, or sporting event and then reselling them with the aim of making a profit, particularly a large one. It is often illegal, though it happens regularly, particularly with popular events. The person buying and re-selling the tickets is referred to as a "scalper". In British English such a person is called a "ticket tout".

External links

James Axtell, College of William & Mary, Encyclopedia of North American Indians
Answering Myths about American Indian Science