Human skull received as a gift, what should I do?

r/

Hello everyone.
Recently a friend of my dad gifted me a real human skull as a gift for my medical career. He got it 50-60 years ago, when he was at university, and now he gifted me as a lucky charm for my career. Even though it’s a bit scary and strange, I really like it. Should I keep it? What would you do?

Comments

  1. Born_Boysenberry4327 Avatar

    Many bones are of sketchy origin. So I personally wouldn’t. Very few bones are “ethically sourced”.

  2. Amazing-Equipment-39 Avatar

    I’d slap a wig on it and keep it on my bookshelf.

  3. DebutsPal Avatar

    Do you have provenance on it?

  4. Novel_Helicopter_212 Avatar

    Toss a coin 

    If you find yourself hoping for a result that is also a way to solve this problem 

  5. camilleishiding Avatar

    Well if its a medical specimen from that long ago, it was probably unethically sourced, but there’s nothing the police can really do. Personally I would feel uncomfortable owning it. If you decide not to keep it, I would look into donating it to The Bone Museum in Brooklyn. They collect medical specimens and educate on osteology and the past of anatomy as a field.

  6. EmotionChipEngadged Avatar

    Name him Yorik and give him a small cigar.

  7. Gold-Foundation-137 Avatar

    So whose skull do you have? If you dont know. That part would drive me crazy.

    What university was it used at? If it was from 50 years ago and its from a university there’s a chance its from either a poor person likely black who didn’t have funeral money, a convict who died in prison or hopefully someone who donated their body to science.

    In all of those cases they probably didn’t think their head would be shelf as a conversation piece for your cocktail parties. I’d feel better giving it back to the university. Just make a few calls and mail it to them.

  8. AlexisAsgard Avatar

    I’ll reluctantly take it off your hands. I’ll even pay you. lol.

  9. Investigator516 Avatar

    I would donate this to the Bone Museum in Brooklyn, but also ask if it’s still possible to get DNA from this skull.

  10. Novel_Individual_143 Avatar

    Tbh if you really like it, keep it in the spirit it was intended.

  11. the_curtains Avatar

    Firstly don’t lose your head over this…

  12. Icy_Breakfast5154 Avatar

    You can order them online too

  13. chironreversed Avatar

    You wanna be fucking haunted????? How do you know the human being gave their skull willingly?