The scalp is the skin on your head from which hair grows.

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Scalping is the act of removing that skin, usually along with the hair, usually as a trophy of war. It is belived to have been a tradition in Plains Native Americans who may have been isolated from the European settlers until later in the colonization [1] (http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/naind/html/na_034800_scalpsandsca.htm). Scalping was also practiced by Scythians.

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 that show evidence of cut marks on the skulls, they disagree about whether these marks are evidence of scalping. Absolutely no evidence exists that scalping was a widespread practice in the Americas before European contact. If it was practiced, it was done by very few tribes and then very infrequently.

On the other hand, scalping was a well-established tradition for Europeans. Ancient Scythians practiced it. Herodotus, the Greek Historian, wrote of them 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."

Much later the English paid bounties for Irish heads. Because scalps were easier to transport and store than heads, Europeans sometimes substituted scalping for headhunting. Records show that the Earl of Wessex England scalped his enemies in 11th century.

In 1706 the governor of Pennsylvania offered 130 pieces of eight for the scalp of Indian men 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 victim’s sex – and sometimes the age – from the scalp alone, killing women and children became a way to make easy money. See also the BRITISH SCALP PROCLAMATION: 1756[2] (http://www.danielnpaul.com/BritishScalpProclamation-1756.html)

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 1800’s.

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. It is usually illegal, though it happens very often, particularly with events which are quite popular. The person buying then re-selling the tickets is referred to as a "scalper". In British English such a person is called a "ticket tout".

Flavor Scalping is a term used in the packaging industry to describe the loss of quality of a packaged item due to either its volatile flavors being absorbed by the packaging material, or by the item absorbing undesirable flavors from its packaging. A classic example is the absorption of various plastic flavors when soft drinks are stored in plastic bottles for an extended period of time. See also cork tainting.

External links

James Axtell, College of William & Mary, Encyclopedia of North American Indians (http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/naind/html/na_034800_scalpsandsca.htm)
Answering Myths about American Indian Science (http://www.kporterfield.com/aicttw/articles/lies.html)