Skull cup

A skull cup is a very old kind of bowl or cup. It's made from the top part of a human skull, called a calvaria. People would carefully cut it from the rest of the skull and smooth the edges to make a drinking vessel. It's like using a special, ancient container for food or drinks. These cups are not something you'd find in a regular store today!

These skull cups are incredibly ancient! The oldest one ever found is over 14,000 years old. That's even older than the pyramids! It was discovered in a cave in England called Gough's Cave. Scientists can tell it's a skull cup because it has marks from where people removed flesh and smoothed the edges to make a nice rim. Imagine holding something that old in your hands!

People made skull cups for different reasons a very long time ago. Sometimes, they were used in special ceremonies or rituals. Other times, they might have been kept as trophies, like a special prize. Many of these cups come from groups of people who moved around a lot, like those who lived on the vast grasslands of Eurasia. It shows how people used what they had in unique ways.

Making a skull cup wasn't a simple job. First, people would take a human skull. Then, they would carefully cut off the top part. They had to remove any leftover flesh. After that, they would work on the edge, making it smooth and even so it could be used as a cup. These weren't just random skulls; they were shaped and prepared for a specific use. It took skill and patience!