Skulls

Several people expressed interest in the skulls that appeared in the background of one of my recent blips so here they are.

In the foreground the two interlocked skulls are badgers', always recognizable from the fact that the lower jaw remains articulated even after the musculature has gone. To the right is the skull of a large dog, and to the left of that is the skull of a cat with big round eye sockets. Behind, along the rim of the bowl, from right to left are the skulls of buzzard, tawny owl, rabbit, fox and gull.

I have not included horse, cow or sheep skulls, which are rather larger, but in the box on the left are the desiccated corpses of some frogs and toads. Shells, horns and fossils comprise more of the collection. I don't unfortunately have a human skull (but would be happy to accept donations.)

Most of these I found already dry although some needed soaking in denture solution and cleaning with a toothbrush. The buzzard and the owl I found as corpses and left them in situ for nature to take its course.

I don't find collecting skulls or bones the least bit odd or unsavoury. They help us to understand the way that animals function and are, purely and simply, marvels of nature. Artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore and Georgia O'Keefe utilised bones and skulls as inspiration for their work. A man called Ray Bandar in California has been collecting animal skulls for over 50 years and has around 7000. You can read about him here.