The scalpation is a warlike practice which consists in tearing off whole or part of the Scalp of a prisoner of war. Scalper corresponds to cut this area rich in blood-vessels.

This practice is famous to be practiced by the Indiens of America during the Conquête of the West: it however was introduced there by the Spaniards and the English, who practiced the scalpation for purely practical reasons, this one allowing the simple calculation (and thus the payment with the mercenaries or the soldiers) of the Indians killed during confrontations. This practice was quickly taken again by the Amerindian warriors, for whom it became only one act of war symbolic system, which made it possible however to return to the invader his apparent cruelty.
It should be noted that the practice of the scalpation had course in many conflicts before that: thus Hérodote mentions that the Scythes would have had this kind of practices, in 440 av. J.C.

External bonds

• Proclamation '' British Scalp '' of 1756