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Few other items better represent human death. While femurs, ribs, and vertebras may look to most like shards of stone or animal bones, the skull or cranium is instantly recognizable. The bleached or stained white bone structure reveals where a once living person smiled and thought.
Whether viewed as good or evil, the skull has generally represented death. But whether that embodiment of death , the former vessel of the soul, or a reminder of one’s ancestors who will guide and offer wisdom. In some cases, such as in certain Celtic cults, the skull alone represented the passage from one realm to another in which death was the required pathway. Some of the most common forms include the basic skull, skulls and crossbones, and the winged skull.
As a talisman, the plain skull represented protection, power, fearlessness, survival, strength, evil, transferred bad luck, and immortality. In Australia and many African tribes, the skull of a dead ancestor could be displayed above the doorway to prevent unwelcome spirits from entering. But in Europe, the Celts believed that the skull held the “seat of the soul” and was essential for the passage into the next realm. As such, it could not be displayed in a doorway but should rather be placed in a special shrine within the home or temple.
However, for some Norse and Germanic tribes as well as some Native American tribes, the skull represented absolute death. Because it was a shell robbed of its once potent soul, the skull had to be reverently disposed of or else one risked being cursed.
For those scholars who entered into alchemy, the skull assumed the symbol of higher intelligence, which required the death of all previous understanding to take on the new levels of knowledge offered. Its symbolism thus varies from the person using it to the culture in which it is used.
In art, the plain skull generally represented death. Death is a difficult specter to depict, and so the skull became the best symbol to represent it. Thus, while the skull had tremendous variety in its symbolism throughout various cultures, its use in art, particularly during the Renaissance and pre modern periods was more limited. The skull as a symbol appeared in famous art and imagery from Goya to da Vinci to Picasso. Whether the skull had a sinister or productive message depended entirely on the artist’s depiction, but it always involved death.
Unlike the plain skull, which has sometimes been used to symbolize absolute death, the winged skull has rarely been used to symbolize that. Instead, the winged skull, which some link all the way back to the Egyptian sun god, RA, the Assyrian sun god Shamash, and the Sorastorianism Faravahar, god of spirit and transformation.
In all of these instances, the symbol, which developed over time, symbolized the presence of death and the ascension to another plane or level. In its original incarnation, the skull did not appear. Instead, wings encircled an oddly shaped orb, which eventually developed to include a face. It also became a frequent sign of the Puritan Christians, used on tombstones and intended to symbolize the transformation from death to life.
The emphasis of transformation has led to the winged skull being used for as an emblem for pirates, Hells Angels and other motorcycle gangs, and certain military groups. While gangs and military groups have generally used just the winged skull to symbolize themselves, the pirates who used the winged skull often used it as two fold. The winged skull was not used on the flag, which was intended to incite fear, but rather on the bowhead or above the doorways as a constant reminder that life was fleeting.
The skull and crossbones have been used most famously in two places: the pirate’s Jolly Roger and the poison symbol. In both cases, the symbol represents death. For poison bottles, the symbolism refers to the danger it poses to one who consumes the contents. But for the pirates’ banner, it symbolizes the ruthlessness and cruelty of death that will come to those who fall prey to the pirates.
The use of the poison emblem has been consistent for years across many countries. But the skull and crossbones has gone through significant transformation. Unlike the previous forms, the skull and crossbones has rarely had a positive imagery associated with it. While the skull itself was used to associate life, the crossed bones beneath represented death and crucifixion, indicating torture and cruel death. This sign is sometimes known as the Memento Mori, and it is intended to remind one of mortality and death, without necessarily giving reminders of hope.
The skull’s use has become progressively more popular. Myths and superstitions about its dangers have gradually faded to horror stories and little acknowledged superstitions. The positive aspects of the skull, its reminder of one’s mortality, or, conversely, the quest for immortality have increased its popularity.
It is now seen as a more neutral or positive symbol than before. In some cases, it symbolizes rebellion and a separation from the norm.