ancientart:

The famous tattooed and preserved head of a Maori warrior.
The Rouen Museum of Natural History in France&nbsp;formally returned this artifact to the delegation of elders, New Zealand Embassy officials and representatives from Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand&rsquo;s national museum.
This is the culmination of years of legal wrangling in France. The head, a sacred cultural object to the Maori, was originally preserved as a reminder of a victory in battle. The tattoos indicate high rank and the heads of elaborately-tattooed warriors would be kept as prized objects by the winners.
You can read more about this artifact&nbsp;here
