Getty | The Body in Pieces: Fragments of the Human Form

This interdisciplinary panel focuses on fragmentation of the human body, including the use of body parts in ritual, myth, and religion. From ancient Andean trophy heads to medieval Christian relics and Hindu pilgrimage sites in colonial Bengal, these talks examine the making and meaning of the body in pieces, from its metaphorical to very visceral fragmentation. Drawing from art history, archaeology, and religious studies, speakers explore various cultural understandings about bodies and the body politic–in their dismembered, deconstructed or dissected forms–as expressions of identity, faith, and nationalism.