How would you feel when wearing a mask made from a real human skull on your face? Would you feel differently if it were the skull of a family member, or perhaps an enemy? For many ancient peoples and present-day tribes throughout Oceania and the Near East, wearing or displaying skull masks was not only normal but also a sacred act and part of the missing in their culture.
Skull masks date back a staggering 11,000 years, the earliest examples being the plastered skulls of Jericho, unearthed in the West Bank near the Jordan River.
Skull decoration was a custom among the ancient Aztecs, who inlaid their skulls with valuable turquoise and lignite inlays, and filled their eye sockets with pyrite. Holes are drilled in the back so the mask can be worn. Studies have shown that Aztec skull masks were crafted from the bones of defeated warriors and slain members of the nobility.
The overly shaped skulls were plastered with clay, resin or wax, then painted with intricate designs. Sometimes they are made to look realistic and resemble the deceased. Masks were often part of elaborate funeral rituals. This remains a common practice in the Oceania regions and especially in Papua New Guinea.
The skull is heavily modeled after Vanuatu. Other materials used include coconut, clay, seashells, and human hair. (Ji-She/CC of SA 4.0)
Skull funeral mask from Bhutan (Wellcome Collection/CC of SA 4.0)
Decorated human skull on the Sepik River, New Guinea. ( Zanitycomau / CC of SA 3.0)
Plaster skull mask, c. 9000 BC, Israel Museum, Jerusalem. (Gary Todd/CC0).
The plastered skulls of Jericho are the oldest funerary masks in the world. The skulls of the dead were removed and covered with plaster to create highly realistic faces, complete with shells for eyes. The flesh and jawbone were removed from the skulls to create plaster models on the bones, and the physical features of the faces appear to be specific to the individual, suggesting that these decorated skulls were portraits of people. deceased.
Skull masks made by the Tolai people using human skulls, parinarium seed powder, human hair and paint. New Guinea Islands. (Metropolitan Museum of Art/Public Domain)
The mosaic skull mask of Tezcatlipoca is said to represent Tezcatlipoca, or “Smoking Mirror,” one of the four powerful and influential creator gods in Aztec mythology. This Aztec artifact is a human skull covered with a turquoise inlay. Experts believe that it was part of the ceremonial costume and was worn with the help of deerskin straps. (Commissioner of the British Museum / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 )
Overly modeled skulls from New Guinea. The Iatmul people would preserve the skulls of both relatives and enemies – by covering them with clay and then painting them. (Eden, Janine and Jim / Flickr)
