Since ancient times, trophies have adorned the homes of the best hunters, showing themselves irrefutable evidence of the strength and valor of the owners. Often, animal skins and bones were used for cult purposes: they protected settlements from evil spirits and hostile entities, were used by shamans and healers for rituals and rituals, and decorated altars and shrines.
Among other trophies and totem amulets, a special place is occupied by hides, bones and parts of the body of large animals, the hunting of which was invariably associated with real risk: bears, wolves, wild boars. Many peoples believed that the one who emerged victorious from a fight with a dangerous beast was worthy of praise and respect, and the hunters of all nations and times had taken care of trophies and cherished them like military awards. This tradition is still alive today.
But maintaining the skull of a defeated beast in its proper form is not an easy task, which has many nuances. Our article will tell you how to process a bear’s skull so that it is suitable for storage in the interior.
Archaeological finds
An example is the Azikh cave (Nagorno-Karabakh), the study of which began in the second half of the last century. Among the primitive tools and household utensils, archaeologists have discovered a neat bunch of bear skulls, folded between the stones. It is already impossible to establish what exactly it was - hunting trophies, ritual attributes or home decorations. One thing is clear: the host is shore collection.
The inhabitants of the cave were Neanderthals. As you can see, even in those distant times (about 300 thousand years ago), the bear’s skull was considered a cult object worthy of its place in the cache.
This example is far from the only one. Similar finds are found all over the planet. Many peoples cut off from the big world by snowy deserts and dense forests, and today treat these trophies with the same reverence.
The value of the skull of the bear and its parts in different cultures
Sharp, slightly curved bear fangs have long been used for protective purposes. The peoples of the Russian North, pre-Colombian America, the Himalayan mountains and other places where bears are found have always believed that there is no better protection from the evil eye and hostile forces than a bear’s tooth. But if earlier they were supposed to be worn only by a hunter who defeated the beast, today today such amulets are offered by many souvenir shops and specialty stores.
Samoyeds and now, going on a hunt, are “armed” with charms of bear teeth that scare away forest spirits and prevent them from stupefying and confusing people. The Nanai people hung their teeth over the cradle of the baby, so that the spirit of a strong bear protected it.
Cases of using the lower jaw are also known. Some ancient Slavic peoples believed that with its help it is possible to treat diseases. Assiniboine Indians made knives from half of the lower jaw, which, according to their ancient legends, made the owner invincible.
From ancient times, Evenks used the skull or the whole head of a bear to give indestructible vows. Many Siberian peoples had the same custom. The leaders swore allegiance to the Russian princes on the bear’s head.
In Yamal, it is customary to lay the altar with bear skulls, on which gifts are offered (mainly oil and vodka). Tuvans prefer not to touch the found bear bones. The place where the skull of the forest owner rests is considered holy. It is customary to treat him with great respect, so that smart children are born in the family. But to those who are not respectful enough, they are destined to bring into the world some fools - so say the old tyvalar.
Hunting trophy
Of course, ancient legends are not alive everywhere. But in any civilization, a successful bear hunter is held in high esteem. Therefore, everyone who was lucky enough to emerge victorious from a dangerous battle strives to preserve their memory and testimonies about this day for a long time. And if someone likes the heads prepared by the taxidermist, then many prefer to keep a laconic bear skull. Such a trophy is especially valuable if it is not only procured, but also prepared personally.
Structural features
The bear skull has an oblong shape. The front section is elongated, the cheekbones are well defined, a powerful jaw attracts attention.
When preparing the specimen, it is necessary to preserve the teeth and all small details. Irregularities are usually subjected to grinding and polishing, then the skull looks more aesthetically pleasing.
Color depends on the dressing. Ideally, it should be light milk or similar in shade of ivory. Yellowness is a sign of poor quality processing.
The skull of a brown bear, obtained from an adult animal, has a rather impressive size. Incisors and fangs are pronounced, but the remaining teeth are usually small, can be reduced. This is due to the mixed type of food of the beast. In total, you can find about forty teeth during processing.
Preparatory work
First of all, the bear’s head should be rid of skin, fat, tendons and muscles. Experienced hunters know that you cannot use a knife and any other metal object - there is a great risk of scratching the bone. Through the hole in the back of the head with the help of a coiled wire, it is necessary to remove the brain. It is unlikely that it will be possible to completely empty the skull, but you need to strive to take out as much as possible.
This is followed by washing. From ancient times, rivers and streams were used for this purpose. It is worth saying that there is nothing better in our time. Fix the skull with ropes, securely tie to a tree or peg on the shore and leave for a day.
Digestion
No matter how good running water works, the digestion process cannot be avoided. It is advisable to use clean river, rain or spring water. Immerse the skull of a bear in cold water. Foam needs to be removed.
Bone sutures will loosen, teeth may fall out. It is necessary to carefully collect them in order to fix them in the holes later. Remove remaining tissue with tweezers and a scraper.
Leave the skull in running water again, this time for 8 hours. Dry it in the shade, in a draft.
Degreasing
The skull of a bear fits well in a bucket. Make a 10% solution of ammonia and immerse the skull in it for a day. Next, wipe the bones with chloroform, gasoline or ether to remove fat.
The next step is to fill all the cavities with cotton or gauze swabs. So that they do not fall out, the skull should be tied with twine or bandages. A solution of hydrogen peroxide will give the trophy the necessary shade.
Polishing
The skull of an adult bear often has irregularities, roughness. They look unaesthetic, and also collect dust. For polishing, use a mixture of one part of the "elutriated" chalk and two parts of Viennese lime. They apply the paste with a cloth, and they make polishing movements with it.
Coating the bone with varnish is not worth it. It is better to use colorless paraffin.
