FUN-travel: Inle Lake Long Neck Women
October 29, 2016 by Susan Clarke
- Brass coils placed around the neck…
Weaving Scarves
…appear to lengthen it…
…when actually the weight of it…
…pushes the collar bone down…
…compressing the rib cage….
…& deforming the clavicle…
So why the coils?
- To protect them from becoming slaves…
…by making them less attractive to other tribes?
- From the desire to look more attractive?
- To give the women resemblance to a dragon? (local folklore)
- Did the coils protect them from tiger bites?
- When asked, they acknowledge these ideas, and often say that their purpose for wearing the rings is cultural identity (one associated with beauty).
FUN-fact – Over the years…the coil is replaced by a longer one… and more turns are added.