Oxford University is in the spotlight after it was revealed that a human skull was used as a cup at formal college dinners. The skull-cup was used at Worcester College until 2015. The news comes from a book by Professor Dan Hicks, who works at Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum. His book, Every Monument Will Fall, looks at how looted human remains were used and how colonial history is still present today.
A Skull Used at Dinner
The skull was made into a cup with a silver rim and stand. At first, it was used to serve wine. Later, it held chocolates after it started to leak. The cup was shown with the college’s silver items and used at some formal dinners.
In 2019, the college asked Professor Hicks to learn more about where the skull came from. People at the college had started to feel uneasy about using it. Hicks called it a “sick kind of tableware” and a sign of colonial cruelty.
Where Did the Skull Come From?
Tests show the skull is around 225 years old. Hicks thinks it came from the Caribbean. It may have belonged to an enslaved woman. There are no records of who the person was. This shows how victims of colonialism were erased from history.
In contrast, the people who owned the skull in Britain are well known. George Pitt-Rivers, a past student of Worcester College, gave the skull-cup to the college in 1946. He was a eugenicist. His grandfather, Augustus Pitt Rivers, bought it from Sotheby’s in 1884. The cup had a wooden stand and a coin from Queen Victoria under it.
The skull was first sold by Bernhard Smith, a graduate of Oriel College. He liked to collect weapons. He likely got the skull from his father, who worked in the Royal Navy in the Caribbean.
Colonialism on Display
The skull-cup is not just a strange item. It shows how items from colonial times are still in our spaces. Hicks compares this with how statues of people like Cecil Rhodes still stand. He says while we honor those who took part in colonialism, we forget the people who suffered.
Hicks says the skull-cup shows how remains were taken, sold, and put on display. These actions were common among British elites in the past.
What the College Did
Worcester College said the skull-cup was used less after 2011 and stopped being used in 2015. After asking experts for advice, the college decided to keep it in storage. Now, no one can access it without special permission. This is to show respect for the person whose skull was used.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy, a Member of Parliament, spoke out against the use of the skull. She said, “It is sickening to think of Oxford dons… drinking from a skull that may have belonged to an enslaved person.”
Hicks’s book also talks about other cases. For example, a British officer took the skull of a Zulu leader after a battle in 1879. It was later shown in a British home. These stories show how common it was to treat human remains as trophies.
Facing the Past
This news has started new talks about how schools and museums should deal with their past. Many call for these items to be returned or buried properly. Some say British groups still benefit from a cruel history.
Oxford University has begun to look at the items in its care. Still, some say more needs to be done. People want honesty, action, and respect for those who were wronged.
As Professor Hicks says, “We gave dignity to the colonizers. It’s time to give dignity back to the colonized.”