Saturday, December 21, 2013

Ijen volcano in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Sulphur Miners' annual ceremony

A sulphur miner carries a goat's head in a white bag as he climbs to bury the head in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The ritual is performed by the sulphur miners of Mount Ijen who slaughter a goat and then bury the head in the crater. 

The sacrifice is performed to ward off potential disasters for the next year.

The Ijen crater rises to 7,800 feet with a depth of over 570 feet, making it one of the world's largest craters. 

Sulphur mining is a major industry in the region, made possible by an active vent at the edge of a lake, but the work is not without risks as the acidity of the water in the crater is high enough to dissolve clothing and cause breathing problems.

Picture: Ulet Ifansasti /Getty Images

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