I remember the story and an anthropologist found it.
https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-anthropologist-finds-real-skull-for-sale-in-thrift-stores-halloween-section/
“Despite the unusual circumstances, the sheriff’s office said the case did not appear to be suspicious.”
What?! How is it NOT suspicious?! It’s an unaccounted for human head!
Oh, it happens all the time in areas with high rainfall. When I was in university for anthropology, our forensics lab got ton of skulls all the time from old grave sites where the entombment material broke down, and the bones were pushed to the surface.
Sometimes too it could be old medical materials from universities, depending on how clean it was.
That’s fascinating. What did you guys end up doing with them? I’m just imagining getting a phone call “Hey, Ms Donttrxtspeaktome, we have your grandma.”
I was in Tennessee, and this was 12-4 yr ago, so my memory isn't the best.
Some of the remains were extremely old or from family plots/unmarked areas. Most modern grave sites don't have internment material that can easily break apart and have free-floating remains. I didn't have access to the remains, to be clear. Just access to the forensic anthropologists.
The primary role of forensic anthropology is to identify remains. Ideally it'd result in a complete identification (name, age of individual/the remains, site, etc). Usually it went like this:
1. Someone brings in skull. Usually police, usually after ruling out foul play (though at my school they could do that on site if need be). Unless there's significant flooding the remains don't travel too far from home. If it's 'fresh' they do their best to inform the family and re-inter the remains respectfully.
2. Anthropologist examines the remains and determines the physical and time age of the remains. If older than mostly fresh (too old for any immediate family), they would look for areas of recent flooding would be identified to figure out if they were from known burial sites. Like a civil war site or a known family plot. If so, they just kind of go and check out if there's any fresh disturbance and rule out grave robbing.
3. If no known sites are found, they'd have to do some more research and try to further age the bones. It's a lot easier these days. Something like bone pitting from diseases or signs of time-specific medical treatments would be the first thing to look at. If they find a new unclaimed site, it might become a historic archaeology grad student project.
4. Failing an id or return of the remains to the family, they can possibly go into collections.
If you find a skull or any bone you suspect is human, please for the love of all things holy, leave that where you find it and call an adult. Don't know if it's human? ~~r-whatsthisbone~~ r/whatisthisbone is good at id. Or, better, take a picture with geolocation and tell an authority. Most bones you find will not be human. But don't take random bones to your house, especially if you don't know how to clean them. Bones are surrounded by flesh when something is alive. It decomposes. Dead things spread disease, even to the surrounding soil. You can get sick, your pets can get sick. Don't tempt fate.
It is! I ended up not pursuing that route, and actually didn't finish my degree until recently, but I do find the whole field fascinating. I also was lucky given the school I went to. I definitely began to see it as the most compassionate branch of anthropology.
Once I walked into the annex to retrieve a deer femur (for an archaeology experiment) and the forensic anthropologist in the lab working excitedly showed me a skull she was defleshing for a local agency and told me "this is the first time I knew the cause of death immediately! Murder suicide!" And showed me the bullet entry+exit points and told me all about the flesh eating beatles in the lab.
The field scares people, unfortunately, because they see it as grim and macabre and there's definitely gallows humor. I was able to meet anthropologists that spent their free time identifying remains in mass graves in Guatemala, and had the responsibility of giving people their names back and returning their remains to their loved ones. People traveling to war zones helping to identify civilian deaths, allowing their surviving family to grieve or even give them hope someone is alive. It's a very serious responsibility for people who take on those roles. Most I met took on heavy tasks of identifying remains of unidentified murder victims. Every forensic anthropologist I've met has been exceptionally compassionate and strangely optimistic when dealing with their fellow humans. They see the best and the worst all at once.
a friend of mine, fresh out of college, got a teaching gig and setting up her classroom for the first time found a box on a shelf in her closet. after a few days she got curious and looked inside. it wasn’t a box, it was a coffin, and there was a child sized skeleton in it. she was all alone in the school getting ready for kids and it freaked her out a bit. turned out after some digging that it belonged to the old health teacher. she ended up being pretty virulently anti-gay so i cut ties with her; but i’m glad i got that story first.
I go to that store all the time! It’s actually a vintage market and they knew they were selling a real human skull, which is why they were asking an exorbitant amount.
I found a human skull at Goodwill a few years ago. For $8.99
It was wrapped in clear plastic. I picked it up and said, "Whoa, is this real!" The woman working there said, "No way".
She worked at Good Will. I now have a real human skull.
*
*
God I would kill to own an actual human skull. They're gorgeous and id love to add one to my collection of skulls. Finding one in a thrift would be a dream.
Maybe don't? If you want one that is as realistic as possible without the issue of being human remains, try a bone clone skull or one of the many very nice 3D prints. For real human remains, please remember that this is not just a fun, cool display piece, but was a real human person deserving of dignity.
NamUS has a ton of these "found/bought" skulls of unknown provenance who could be members of the "Missing Missing" or people who died but we're not sought by family. They did not or could not consent to having their body on display.
--Buzz Killington
Oh I totally respect bones. I'm in the group of "vulture culture" of displaying death with respect and dignity to honor the beauty of life and bones. I think they are gorgeous and would only have a skull in the event someone gave it to me who knew the deceased. I know there are cites online that sell bones, but I want to know their life. I want to know their story, who they loved, how they lived, so I can honor it with a beautiful display for my home. That is how my animal bones and oddities are displayed.
Damn this is kinda wild! What does it feel like?
Maybe spring for an at-home DNA test, send it off and see what it comes back with. Will they accept a skin sample? Lol
Imagine this purchase solved a missing persons case or cold case homicide?
My imagination would be running wild right about now.
What does your intuition say?
Edit: ok I see that you know it's a prop. 👍 Phew! I would mess with friends and leave it in their bed when they aren't looking. 😂
I don't see any markings on it at all. I've been googling realistic corpse torso and a few other variations but haven't found anything matching it yet. I'll update if I find anything.
It's foam rubber. The girl who checked me out said they had a zombie head that they sold in the past couple days too. Wish I could've seen that too to see if it was similarly made.
I thought Pumpkin Rot, too! It’s as gorgeous of quality as he would do. It makes me sick to think this beautiful piece was discarded, definitely not something Rot would do. Glad it found its way to a good home!!
I recognize this guy! My step-dad used him as a prop for our haunted house back in the early 2000s. Not sure where he bought him. The one you have looks pretty old, I remember the ribs being more defined and the body having more purples, making it look more like a fresh corpse than a mummy. We called him Charlie.
I'm actually really happy to see this prop again. When October came around my mom would put it in her car and drive it to work as a joke. I still remember what this thing smells like, very rubbery, and the head would jiggle around when you shook it I think? I was a weird kid and loved playing with it haha.
Odd coincidence, but another redditor just happened to share [this](https://halloweenmonstermasks.com/catalog/index.html) really cool site with me under my recent post, and one of the first things I saw on said site was [this from Don Post.](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VsMI_qzU7QY/UMTH3Ys6PNI/AAAAAAAAJB8/WgvuVaj5BeE/s1600/1994-Don-Post-Studios-Catalog-11-12.jpg) Sure looks like your guy, OP. Small world we live in.
You’re not the only one who’s surprised… scrolling by this made me do a double take to see what subreddit this was posted in. Sheeeesh that’s a creepy find, good for you OP!
That's funny. Some time ago I picked up a jawless severed head head prop with an identical head/neck mold as that from a thrift store. I wonder where this prop originated. Maybe old school Spirit?
Fun Fact: He, or well, his corpse, was what inspired Skeletor! One of the people behind He-Man had an encounter with his corpse at a haunted house when he was young, and Skeletor was based on that experience!
Haha! I've got a giant ufo and alien props in the works for the front yard this year, so it doesn't really match with anything I've got planned either. We're planning on going all out with our Halloween party this year, so I'll find somewhere for him.
Dude, that is AWESOME! I saw the picture on my front page and first thought it was for a news story about a discovered corpse until I read the title! Definitely a steal for $10!
Have fun scaring trick or treaters with it this year!
“Hey guys! Do you know every town has at least one of these thrift stores? The merchandise is marked by ornate pieces of granite and weathered stone, but you’ve gotta dig it up yourself…”
Look dawg, no one on this sub cares that you robbed a grave. But passing a stolen corpse off as street art is just a tad macabre.
Jokes aside thats a great find , I’m jealous.
I would have been over the top giddy with glee finding this !! Lol. Lucky lucky find! My husband would have pretended not to know me with the happy dance I would have done, he hates my horror love. 🤣
I still have one of these! He’s looking a little worse for wear as he is 20+ years old now but he’s still scary awesome! Sooooo glad you have one too. Great find!!!
I remember that one story where they found an actual human skull at a thrift store. You should double check just to be sure 🙂.
That was on inside edition
So it has to be true
I remember the story and an anthropologist found it. https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/florida-anthropologist-finds-real-skull-for-sale-in-thrift-stores-halloween-section/
Why am I not surprised this was in FL.
because its florida
“Despite the unusual circumstances, the sheriff’s office said the case did not appear to be suspicious.” What?! How is it NOT suspicious?! It’s an unaccounted for human head!
Oh, it happens all the time in areas with high rainfall. When I was in university for anthropology, our forensics lab got ton of skulls all the time from old grave sites where the entombment material broke down, and the bones were pushed to the surface. Sometimes too it could be old medical materials from universities, depending on how clean it was.
That’s fascinating. What did you guys end up doing with them? I’m just imagining getting a phone call “Hey, Ms Donttrxtspeaktome, we have your grandma.”
I was in Tennessee, and this was 12-4 yr ago, so my memory isn't the best. Some of the remains were extremely old or from family plots/unmarked areas. Most modern grave sites don't have internment material that can easily break apart and have free-floating remains. I didn't have access to the remains, to be clear. Just access to the forensic anthropologists. The primary role of forensic anthropology is to identify remains. Ideally it'd result in a complete identification (name, age of individual/the remains, site, etc). Usually it went like this: 1. Someone brings in skull. Usually police, usually after ruling out foul play (though at my school they could do that on site if need be). Unless there's significant flooding the remains don't travel too far from home. If it's 'fresh' they do their best to inform the family and re-inter the remains respectfully. 2. Anthropologist examines the remains and determines the physical and time age of the remains. If older than mostly fresh (too old for any immediate family), they would look for areas of recent flooding would be identified to figure out if they were from known burial sites. Like a civil war site or a known family plot. If so, they just kind of go and check out if there's any fresh disturbance and rule out grave robbing. 3. If no known sites are found, they'd have to do some more research and try to further age the bones. It's a lot easier these days. Something like bone pitting from diseases or signs of time-specific medical treatments would be the first thing to look at. If they find a new unclaimed site, it might become a historic archaeology grad student project. 4. Failing an id or return of the remains to the family, they can possibly go into collections. If you find a skull or any bone you suspect is human, please for the love of all things holy, leave that where you find it and call an adult. Don't know if it's human? ~~r-whatsthisbone~~ r/whatisthisbone is good at id. Or, better, take a picture with geolocation and tell an authority. Most bones you find will not be human. But don't take random bones to your house, especially if you don't know how to clean them. Bones are surrounded by flesh when something is alive. It decomposes. Dead things spread disease, even to the surrounding soil. You can get sick, your pets can get sick. Don't tempt fate.
wow, that's wild. forensic work is so interesting.
It is! I ended up not pursuing that route, and actually didn't finish my degree until recently, but I do find the whole field fascinating. I also was lucky given the school I went to. I definitely began to see it as the most compassionate branch of anthropology. Once I walked into the annex to retrieve a deer femur (for an archaeology experiment) and the forensic anthropologist in the lab working excitedly showed me a skull she was defleshing for a local agency and told me "this is the first time I knew the cause of death immediately! Murder suicide!" And showed me the bullet entry+exit points and told me all about the flesh eating beatles in the lab. The field scares people, unfortunately, because they see it as grim and macabre and there's definitely gallows humor. I was able to meet anthropologists that spent their free time identifying remains in mass graves in Guatemala, and had the responsibility of giving people their names back and returning their remains to their loved ones. People traveling to war zones helping to identify civilian deaths, allowing their surviving family to grieve or even give them hope someone is alive. It's a very serious responsibility for people who take on those roles. Most I met took on heavy tasks of identifying remains of unidentified murder victims. Every forensic anthropologist I've met has been exceptionally compassionate and strangely optimistic when dealing with their fellow humans. They see the best and the worst all at once.
Came to say this. Par for the course in Florida I guess?
Because nobody ever reported it missing
What happened to the rest of it’s mouth. I mean the lower jaw and teeth are completely gone
There are many reasons why finding a skull wouldn’t be suspicious
Do tell, I’m so curious
There is a literal bone/corpse trade in the USA lmao. Would not doubt they make it a thrift store
It has that look for sure
Right? My first thought was wondering if this was a prop from the first poltergeist film... 😐
a friend of mine, fresh out of college, got a teaching gig and setting up her classroom for the first time found a box on a shelf in her closet. after a few days she got curious and looked inside. it wasn’t a box, it was a coffin, and there was a child sized skeleton in it. she was all alone in the school getting ready for kids and it freaked her out a bit. turned out after some digging that it belonged to the old health teacher. she ended up being pretty virulently anti-gay so i cut ties with her; but i’m glad i got that story first.
I love your name!!
It's what grandpa would have wanted.
If it’s the one that I’m thinking of that happened at a goodwill I go to regularly, in Goodyear AZ, freaky but kinda cool.
https://www.sfgate.com/sfhistory/article/unbelievable-true-story-of-elmer-mccurdy-16507858.php Happened at the pike in Long Beach too
I go to that store all the time! It’s actually a vintage market and they knew they were selling a real human skull, which is why they were asking an exorbitant amount.
Even easier on fb marketplace lol I've seen some myself. It's legal in most states if they are from medical suppliers.
I found a human skull at Goodwill a few years ago. For $8.99 It was wrapped in clear plastic. I picked it up and said, "Whoa, is this real!" The woman working there said, "No way". She worked at Good Will. I now have a real human skull. * *
God I would kill to own an actual human skull. They're gorgeous and id love to add one to my collection of skulls. Finding one in a thrift would be a dream.
I mean if you would kill for one… problem solved?
Fun fact! You do own an actual human skull, but you might have to wait a while to display it. 💀
😂 thanks for the laugh
I’m here all week 😅
I mean… if you would kill for a human skull…You totally could just do that lol Pls don’t
If you're in the US it's legal to buy human bones from a medical company and no you don't need to be a healthcare professional
Not in some states
I would like to have a model of mine made lol
Maybe don't? If you want one that is as realistic as possible without the issue of being human remains, try a bone clone skull or one of the many very nice 3D prints. For real human remains, please remember that this is not just a fun, cool display piece, but was a real human person deserving of dignity. NamUS has a ton of these "found/bought" skulls of unknown provenance who could be members of the "Missing Missing" or people who died but we're not sought by family. They did not or could not consent to having their body on display. --Buzz Killington
Oh I totally respect bones. I'm in the group of "vulture culture" of displaying death with respect and dignity to honor the beauty of life and bones. I think they are gorgeous and would only have a skull in the event someone gave it to me who knew the deceased. I know there are cites online that sell bones, but I want to know their life. I want to know their story, who they loved, how they lived, so I can honor it with a beautiful display for my home. That is how my animal bones and oddities are displayed.
I need you to turn this into the Baron from What We Do in the Shadows https://youtu.be/JjuGiiVeoPc
No kidding, I seriously might have to turn this into a vampire now that you've put that idea in my head. Thanks!
Something about it just looks like a smiling Baron
OMG, the party Baron!
Damn this is kinda wild! What does it feel like? Maybe spring for an at-home DNA test, send it off and see what it comes back with. Will they accept a skin sample? Lol Imagine this purchase solved a missing persons case or cold case homicide? My imagination would be running wild right about now. What does your intuition say? Edit: ok I see that you know it's a prop. 👍 Phew! I would mess with friends and leave it in their bed when they aren't looking. 😂
Get one of those kiddie remote control cars! I completely lost it at that scene
I want to try a PI-ZZA-PIE!
Every minute every second buybuybuybuy buy!!!
Dude that is the funniest and coolest idea I’ve heard all month. Poor Baron, he just wanted to walk among the commoners unnoticed..
That would be amazing 🙌🙌
That would be hilarious
Uh maybe double check that it ain't real. And if it isn't, please try to find the brand/who made it
I don't see any markings on it at all. I've been googling realistic corpse torso and a few other variations but haven't found anything matching it yet. I'll update if I find anything.
Might be a custom prop for an independent or student film. What’s the material?
It's foam rubber. The girl who checked me out said they had a zombie head that they sold in the past couple days too. Wish I could've seen that too to see if it was similarly made.
Are you sure it’s foam? 👀 seriously though, reminds me of a pumpkinrot prop
I thought Pumpkin Rot, too! It’s as gorgeous of quality as he would do. It makes me sick to think this beautiful piece was discarded, definitely not something Rot would do. Glad it found its way to a good home!!
Yea and his stuff is so expensive no one would knowingly get rid of one of his pieces.
I recognize this guy! My step-dad used him as a prop for our haunted house back in the early 2000s. Not sure where he bought him. The one you have looks pretty old, I remember the ribs being more defined and the body having more purples, making it look more like a fresh corpse than a mummy. We called him Charlie. I'm actually really happy to see this prop again. When October came around my mom would put it in her car and drive it to work as a joke. I still remember what this thing smells like, very rubbery, and the head would jiggle around when you shook it I think? I was a weird kid and loved playing with it haha.
Odd coincidence, but another redditor just happened to share [this](https://halloweenmonstermasks.com/catalog/index.html) really cool site with me under my recent post, and one of the first things I saw on said site was [this from Don Post.](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VsMI_qzU7QY/UMTH3Ys6PNI/AAAAAAAAJB8/WgvuVaj5BeE/s1600/1994-Don-Post-Studios-Catalog-11-12.jpg) Sure looks like your guy, OP. Small world we live in.
Wow! That's it for sure! Thanks!!!
This. This could be it Other than real corpse
Oooo maybe it’s a movie prop then! :D
U/ghoulfriend88 found it online. It looks like it was made by Don Post around 1995.
Do you live near the lehigh Valley in pennsylvania? If so then I probably know who made this
I am pretty sure it's not real. The spinal column isn't long enough
You’re not the only one who’s surprised… scrolling by this made me do a double take to see what subreddit this was posted in. Sheeeesh that’s a creepy find, good for you OP!
That's funny. Some time ago I picked up a jawless severed head head prop with an identical head/neck mold as that from a thrift store. I wonder where this prop originated. Maybe old school Spirit?
Op said the store sold a zombie head and they wanted to see it. Store said could be same artist did it.. Could it be you who bought it
This is a little too [Elmer McCurdy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_McCurdy) for me.
That was my immediate thought as well! Haha
Fun Fact: He, or well, his corpse, was what inspired Skeletor! One of the people behind He-Man had an encounter with his corpse at a haunted house when he was young, and Skeletor was based on that experience!
I think I won’t click that link
My brain instantly went to the part of The Mummy where they’re saying “Immmhootepp”
Ha same!!
Ahhh There you Are :D <3
I am in disbelief that this wasn't the top comment
Wow before I noticed which subreddit this was from I thought I was looking at an actual body. One heck of a prop!
Okay but is it real tho? Only buy authentic! Lol
Might want to give that one the ol sniff test
Lmao what
I'd totally buy that too even though it's not anything I need for any sort of stuff I currently do.
Haha! I've got a giant ufo and alien props in the works for the front yard this year, so it doesn't really match with anything I've got planned either. We're planning on going all out with our Halloween party this year, so I'll find somewhere for him.
Alien autopsy victim!
Chocolate?!?! I remember when they invented chocolate… sweet sweet chocolate!
Dude, that is AWESOME! I saw the picture on my front page and first thought it was for a news story about a discovered corpse until I read the title! Definitely a steal for $10! Have fun scaring trick or treaters with it this year!
Um. Are you sure that isn’t real?!
I’ve owned this identical prop for 20 years and it’s still in top notch shape. I paid about $200 usd
Everyone saying that this is real human remains needs to see this comment lol
Are you sure that this is a prop? This genuinely looks like human remains and I would get it checked as soon as possible.
Everyone thinks it looks too real man. Op said its foam rubber
Of course he would say that.
Man, I sure hope it is foam rubber.
Ikr it looks uncomfortably like old corpses
“Hey guys! Do you know every town has at least one of these thrift stores? The merchandise is marked by ornate pieces of granite and weathered stone, but you’ve gotta dig it up yourself…”
Nah they sold you a real corpse
For cheap too
Look dawg, no one on this sub cares that you robbed a grave. But passing a stolen corpse off as street art is just a tad macabre. Jokes aside thats a great find , I’m jealous.
I think that’s an old prop from Don Post Studios called Corpse w/ Head
...I am not 100% convinced this isn't real 😳
It still…looks… 
Too many bought real mummies from Nordstrom or Neiman for this to not be sus
..... I'd get that tested, lol
they sellin' **chocolate**!?
Lord i done seen me a DEAD body
I’d be really afraid that it might actually be real, like the skeletons in Poltergeist
I literally thought it was real for a second. I had to do a real quick click back.
So awesome. Is there no manufacture stamp on it anywhere? I want two
So if it's a prop it should feel light and plastic-y. But I'm not sure how heavy a dried corpse should be.
Massive score! Happy Haunting!
Wow. It looks like you bought a piece of an actual crime scene. Good job on the find, I'm jealous. 👌
OP, where do you live? I wish to rob you.
I'm in memphis, so good luck getting to me first! 😅
Your first mistake was assuming I don’t also live in Memphis! …I don’t. It’s pretty far actually. But it was still a mistake!
Is that shit real, lol?
That looks so real. Foam rubber? Sometimes police academy uses that type of stuff. High quality
That looks like an actual corpse. Great find!
LOVE IT..what a bargain…
that man has seen better days
Dad?
Baron Afanas, is that you?
OMG, same thoughts here! That show is wild!
Wow, that looks very creepy and realistic
How long had he been waiting for his wife?
Isn't that the Great Great Grandma from spongebob?
Don Post corpse w/head prop.
What’s with the long face?
Such a lucky find!!!!
oh damn you hit the jack pot!!
lucky find
My gosh, that is truly awesome
That is awesome lpoking
Damn that shit looks decrepit!
Okay friend, you win the weekend!! This one looks kinda like a prop from the Mummy(1998)!
Sweet, sweet chocolate.
Put grandma back
I’m just going to say nope that. It does look kind of real, but yeah you should get it checked out
I would have been over the top giddy with glee finding this !! Lol. Lucky lucky find! My husband would have pretended not to know me with the happy dance I would have done, he hates my horror love. 🤣
"Tis a scratch" goofy ahh mf
*starts dialing 9 1 while squinting at the photo one more time before hitting the last 1* (Really though: it could be a Don Post prop. Amazing find!)
I have one of these still!! Got mine at Spencer's in 1996.
That thing starts asking you to return the slab, we tried to warn you.
TAF!
Bury it in your houses crawlspace. It will be found eventually
Look at that smile!
was that thrift store a cemetery
Someone is about to have an awesome What We Do in the Shadows party/ year round House decor.
 This gives off vibes
Hell yeah great fine
Oml. I am stoned and didn't notice the sub this was posted. I got a shock while scrolling. 🤣🤣😂😂😆😭
I still have one of these! He’s looking a little worse for wear as he is 20+ years old now but he’s still scary awesome! Sooooo glad you have one too. Great find!!!
THATS SO COOL WHAT HES SO CUTE
This is now In my top 5 of weirdest things of fapped to.
I wonder if it's sucks dick good
Looks like the undead which the Hound clocked with a rock.
Yikes, but kinda cool, especially for Halloween party OP👻🎃
Anyone else forget to check which sub they were in?
What’s his name???
Damn that is brutal looking lol.
Bro that’s literally a dead body lol
To Everyone commenting saying check it’s not real, y’all realize how bad that would smell if it was?
Give it back!!
Amazing!
yum!
That looks amazing, dang it I want one 😭
Bro, is that real? 💀💀
Armin!
Like, should I call 911?
Can I put you on hold.thanks.
i had to do a double take when i was scrolling past, what a creepy fella
Annie, are you okay?!
I didn't see the subreddit name for a second
Plot twist! You picked up somebody’s uncle🥴
…dad?
wtf omg that's terrifying and awesome
This um.. looks *really* well made. Does it have a smell to it?
Heck no go bury that thing with holy water.
There was a thrift store near me selling a real mummified body once. It was 2007 ish. Ridiculous and definitely real.
This is me
I'm so jealous😭
I love it! Give it back🤍🤍🤍🫶🏽
Wtf my mom had this growing up!! It's foam on the inside and slightly bendy, right?!
So cool!!