Cannibalistic human relic

Description

human bone (probably thigh bone), swivel head cut, clear traces of scraping, old collection stamp (unreadable), old label with the following comment: “piece of weathered human bone cut from a cannibal-tree in Fidji by an Australian missionary. Taken back to Melbourne, Australia, as a specimen of the heathen practices of old Fidji. The flesh was cut from the bone using sharp bamboo knives; the knife marks are clearly visible on this specimen”; on cardboard;
very rare and genuine object, which normally can only be found in museums on Fidji. The bones of eaten victims were often placed in the fork of a tree, which explains the term “cannibal-tree”.
Fidji was once known as the “Cannibal Isles”. Cannibalism ended in Fiji in 1867, when missionary Thomas Baker made the mistake of touching a chief’s head, unwittingly causing the gravest of insults, which forced his hosts to kill him and turn him and his companions into dinner. No further incidents were recorded as Fidji gradually adopted Western ways.