Skull Cup

By Crusader1307

The image of the skull of a vanquished Warrior or King being "made" into a drinking cup, is the stuff of many a Sword and Fantasy Film. And while such a grisly act may be seen as false, in reality - it wasn't. In fact, Skull Cups were quite common within many Ancient (and some not so) Cultures. The practice involved the removal (denuding) the flesh of a head (after decapitation, of course). Once rendered into a skeletal condition, the upper most portion of the skull - the calvaria was removed. Thoroughly cleaned, the calvaria was next lacquered or similarly treated. Next, and often- silver or gold embellishments would be added. Used in ceremonies - with an obvious psychological vein with use, The Skull Cup became an important component for battle and kingdom anniversaries. The oldest such dates from 12,000 BC. The style was seen in Ancient 4th Century China with some examples seen in Medieval Europe as well (The Rus in particular. Not all such cups were created from a vanquished for. Some Buddhist Sects made then from deceased Holy Men and used to remember their great deeds.