Horrific, Macabre, Artistic, and Fascinating Skulls Etc.
by A short compendium of skulls and thoughts on scrimshaw. Empyrean and revered to nightmarish and profane, images of skulls sure to send shivers down your spine.
Diamond Studded Skull
Damien Hirst’s unbelievably diamond-jeweled skull. It is an acquired 18th-Century human skull, covered with three times more diamonds that the Queen’s crown! A death-mask fit for royalty!
Read the story about the Diamond Skull here.
Leather Skull Mask
A handmade leather skull mask, Renaissance Fair , Irwindale, CA. This would make for an awesome Mardi Gras costume. They love those skull costumes at Mardi Gras down in Cajun country. There are some amazing cemeteries and ritual surrounding death and burial in New Orleans. There used to be a (pre-Hurricane Katrina, at least) saying about New Orleans to the effect of “I’d rather be dead and buried in New Orleans than alive and living just about anywhere else.”
Inca Skulls
The Inca practiced ritual skull malformation. This was accomplished by the binding of the head with wraps to encourage growth in an unnatural way by preventing expansion in another. This was performed on babies of nobility to create other-worldly shapes, reinforcing and securing their special almost-deity status as adults. Typically, this daily binding and re-binding only needed to be done for several months while the child was still young and the skull still soft, growing and pliable. The wrappings were snug, but not tight. After that, the damage is done and the wraps were no longer needed. The skull had acquired its shape and would now continue to grow that way, apparently with no ill-effects on the brain which clearly had to have accommodated the new shape. We can still see this today in children whose parents allowed the young child to sleep exclusively upon the back as per the former recommendations by health-care professionals. -As young adults today, the back of their skulls are noticeably ‘flatter’ and vertically-aligned. The current ‘correct’ recommendation for babies to sleep upon their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS. This causes the familiar-to-parents ‘pattern bald spot’ on the back of newborn baby’s heads. Laying upon their back either delays the hair growth, chafes it away or slows the growth some, leaving a gentle ‘piebald spot.’ This of course, quickly goes away after once the baby starts to sleep on the stomach or either side as they are now able to lift its head and reposition itself. The age at the greatest risk of SIDS in the first four months mainly.
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Post CommentJames DeVere
On January 11, 2009 at 3:41 am
Interesting read but I was wondering,
“I’d rather be dead and buried in New Orleans than alive and living just about anywhere else.” Who wrote this, where did this opinion originate from?
Also, other ideas like, “The Inca practiced ritual skull malformation. This was accomplished by the binding of the head with wraps to encourage growth in an unnatural way by preventing expansion in another.” Is this part of your in-depth original research as an archeologist of some repute?
and, “Because of the geographical position of Hallstatt (narrowly built between a mountain and a lake) there is little place for cemeteries. Thus, every ten years the bones of the deceased and buried used to be exhumed, labeled and placed into an ossuary to make room for new burials.” Expertise in geography and history…who’s expertise?
Wonderful insights but from where do they come? I’d be a bit annoyed if my opinions were lifted for your article.
Interesting information but which text, author and source is it all from ? j
thestickman
On January 11, 2009 at 6:02 am
Obsess much do ya?
I’m going to leave your comment here, for awhile anyway, because I respect your opinion but I grow weary of your harass. And don’t worry, I don’t intend to ‘lift’ your opinions. If my writing disturbs you so much I suggest that you remove my name from your ‘friends’ list and you won’t have to note every article I submit for publishing. -Sound fair enough? 
Lostash
On January 11, 2009 at 6:40 am
I enjoyed this Sticky. I wouldn’t worry about whatshisface either, you don’t have to be an expert to write an enjoyable piece! Some people should get a life!!
R J Evans
On January 11, 2009 at 6:52 am
Hear hear. I had a strange comment from James wondering where the bibliography was for two of my recent articles…. hmmm.
Anyway, loved this one… blogged it too (hope you don’t mind!)
http://www.webphemera.com/2009/01/horrific-macabre-artistic-and.html
Thanks again for a great read!
thestickman
On January 11, 2009 at 7:09 am
You too, eh? I was considering asking Triond if there was some way to pacify this notable writer (he has many articles, -I have read them and even submitted a few to social sites.) I was starting to feel singled-out. Now I feel better about just maybe ignoring comments a little bit more..
Thanks all (including you too, James.)
-thestickman
Alexa Anderson
On January 11, 2009 at 8:18 am
Oh my gosh…now that’s an interesting read…especially the head binding. Glad that’s not in fashion!
Sotiris
On January 11, 2009 at 8:28 am
Nice skull article
RJ Thomas
On January 11, 2009 at 11:00 am
Nice! Creepy, but cool
Skulls never fail to fascinate, especially those encrusted in diamonds (beat that bling, fiddy!)
As to our friend James, you’re not the only target. He’s in the forums as well, and is apparently on a crusade to promote bibliographical accuracy and intense liturgical analysis. If I had to guess, I would say he’s an academic whose work was ripped off
While I’m all for bibliography in its place (that is, on Wikipedia, anything for Columbia University Press, etc. etc.) who obsesses about citations for your everyday Triond article?
This is not an inquisition, its light reading. Calm down!
lindalulu
On January 11, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Very interesting article Stickman,enjoyed the read.
Lauren Axelrod
On January 11, 2009 at 1:31 pm
The Chichen Itza Skull Wall is my favorite. Cool piece!
thestickman
On January 11, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I like Chichen Itza stuff too. Can hardly believe that my wife & I climbed all over that place. Good thing, timing-wise. The pyramid we climbed is no longer permitted for tourist to go up… a San Diego woman fell and rolled to bottom, died of injuries so, not permitted now. Will soon be writing this one up…
Michele Cameron Drew
On January 12, 2009 at 6:07 am
Creepy and cool is right, great job stickman… dugg it.
Paula Mitchell Bentley
On January 12, 2009 at 8:05 am
I loved the diamond skull. These are fascinating and creepy at the same time. Like a bad car accident that you drive by slowly and can’t help but look at. Great read!
As for Professor fussypants, I’d just ignore it. You’re not writing an encyclopedia.
Maria Blazz
On January 12, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Interesting piece about a fascinating subject.
Regarding the bibliography, usually I like to know the sources of the information (I’m a journalist and I’m used to do that) but I would have suggested my inquiry in a gentler way. As others said, this is not an encyclopedia nor even a newspaper and I understand most of the people write here just for fun or other reasons.
Geri Ohara
On January 13, 2009 at 10:20 am
Ohh my god! This gave me the creeps & send shudders down my spine..Brilliant article
Lee Altman
On January 13, 2009 at 2:53 pm
This is awesome. I saw a documentary the other day on how so many of Londons building are built on bones from the bodies of the people that died from the black plague
Poetic Angel
On January 14, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Very interesting article on skulls and pictures. That diamond skull is amazing! Thanks for sharing this information
eddiego65
On January 15, 2009 at 9:57 am
This is really cool, through creepy. Excellent article as usual.
denus
On January 18, 2009 at 7:16 pm
wow that was interesting.
cheers,
denus
Bill M. Tracer
On January 21, 2009 at 11:51 am
An impressive collection of skulls. Cool article.
Patrick Bernauw
On January 22, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I once was in a Greek chapel where they had all these skulls… and Louis de Bernières in one of his fine novels wrote about this tradition, and suddenly I was there again… and now, at last, I’m here to read your article… and yeah, there I go again! You did a really fine job, Stickman! Wonderful photographs and a well written article!
QuinMonty86
On January 23, 2009 at 11:05 am
I decided to make your acquaintance and OMG. Cool and creepy together. Loved the history lesson, and the pics were good, too. I’ve never seen a hippo skull, either. Very interesting. No crystal skulls though.
I’ll take the diamond one, instead. 