Plastered skull from Jericho, ~7200 BC.
People used plastered skulls to keep their loved ones around a little longer. Rather than leave the deceased cold and buried, they would exhume the corpse and remove the skull. They would then plaster and decorate the skull to keep it at home. Decorations included shell inlays for eyes and even painted-on beards. Plastered skulls are believed to be have been a sign of respect for the deceased,perhaps even ancestor worship, but to be honest they look absolutely terrifying.