Plastered human skulls

Plastered human skulls
Plastered skull, Tell es-Sultan, Jericho, from approximately 9000 years ago (British Museum)
Material	Plaster and bone
Created	8000–6000 BC
Present location	Palestine

Plastered human skulls are human skulls covered in layers of plaster and typically found in the ancient Levant, most notably around the modern Palestinian city of Jericho, between 8,000 and 6,000 BC (approximately 9000 years ago),^[1][2] in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period. They represent some of the oldest forms of art in the Middle East and demonstrate that the prehistoric population took great care in burying their ancestors below their homes. The skulls denote some of the earliest sculptural examples of portraiture in the history of art.^[3]

The process typically included the removal of the jawbone. Signs of wear suggest they were handled over time. These skulls were often found interred alongside other human remains, and each cache display a consistent style within. The skulls are generally with a backward tilt, and there appears to be no discernible pattern concerning the age or gender of the individuals when selecting the skulls for plastering.