Photos: Sulfur miners offering ceremony in Indonesia

A miner uses a pole to extract sulphur from a pipe at the flow crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The ritual is performed by the sulfur miners of Mount Ijen who slaughter a goat and then bury the head in the crater of mount Ijenn. The sacrifice is performed to ward off potential disasters for the next year. The Ijen crater rises to 2,386m, with a depth of over 175m, 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. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544193 )

A sulfur miner carries a goats 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 on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544143 )

Miners carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457543873 )

A miner carries sulfur during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544223 )

Miners carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544137 )

A miner extracts sulphur from pipe at the flow crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544195 )

Miners carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457543879 )

A miner carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457543881 )

A miner carries sulfur during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544205 )

A goat head is seen as preparations are made for a burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544123 )

Miners extracts sulphur from pipe at the flow crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544135 )

A miner carries a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. T(Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544131 )

A sulfur miner carries a goat 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 on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544141 )

A miner sits beside a goat head as he prepares for its burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544147 )

Miners carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544149 )

A miner carries sulfur during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544155 )

Miners carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544171 )

Miners uses poles to extract sulphur from pipes at the flow crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544185 )

Miners carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544173 )

A miner carries sulfur during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544175 )

A miner uses a pole to extract sulphur from pipe at the flow crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544181 )

A tourist stands on a rock watching the view of Ijen Crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544197 )

A miner carry a goats head for burial in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544201 )

A miner uses a pole to extract sulphur from pipes at the flow crater during an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544225 )

A sulfur miner looks at the crater as they prepare to bury the head in the crater as part of an annual offering ceremony on the Ijen volcano on December 17, 2013 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) ( 457544243 )