In the Stone Age, objects sometimes referred to as "death masks" were not typically direct casts of a deceased person's face as the term might imply today, but rather plastered and decorated skulls that represented the dead.
These significant artifacts provide unique insight into the burial practices and beliefs of early complex societies during the Neolithic period.
What Were Stone Age Plastered Skulls?
The most well-known examples come from sites in the Near East, such as Jericho (modern-day Palestine) and 'Ain Ghazal (modern-day Jordan), dating back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (roughly 8500–6000 BCE).
These are human skulls where the facial features were carefully reconstructed using plaster. Materials like shell fragments were often used for eyes, and paint might have been applied to depict hair or tattoos.
- Construction: Plaster was molded directly onto the bone of the skull.
- Decoration: Features like eyes, noses, and mouths were sculpted.
- Appearance: They were often remarkably lifelike, serving as durable representations of individuals.
Interpretation and Use
Based on archaeological context and analysis, the standard interpretation is that these plastered skulls were created for use in an ancestor cult.
The British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon, who discovered many examples at Jericho, called them “portrait skulls” to suggest that each was modeled on the skull of a dead ancestor. This practice likely involved excavating the skull of a deceased relative after decomposition, plastering and decorating it, and then displaying or reburying it within the settlement or specific structures.
- Ancestor Veneration: They served as focal points for rituals honoring deceased family members or community leaders.
- Continuity: Representing ancestors may have reinforced lineage ties, community identity, and claims to land or resources.
- Ritual Objects: Found in burials or special deposits, indicating their ritual significance rather than everyday use.
Key Characteristics of Neolithic Plastered Skulls
| Feature | Description | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Human skull base covered with lime plaster. | Transforms perishable remains into durable effigies. |
| Appearance | Modeled facial features, often detailed and individualized. | Aims for a likeness, potentially of specific people. |
| Context | Found in settlements, sometimes buried under floors or in specific caches. | Associated with domestic or communal ritual spaces. |
| Dating | Primarily Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (8500–6000 BCE). | Coincides with the rise of settled life and farming. |
While not "death masks" in the sense of a direct cast from the face, these plastered skulls are the most prominent examples from the Stone Age that served a similar role: creating a lasting, recognizable representation of the deceased for ritual purposes, particularly related to ancestor veneration.
