Oxford's Dark Secret: Students Once Drank from Human Skulls in Prestigious College Tradition

Oxford University, long celebrated as a beacon of academic excellence, now finds itself at the center of a chilling historical revelation. A new book has uncovered a macabre tradition at Worcester College, where students once drank wine—and later, chocolate—from cups made of real human skulls.

A Shocking Tradition Hidden in Plain Sight

The disturbing practice persisted for years at the senior dining table of Worcester College, where a human skull, adorned with a silver rim and base, was used as a ceremonial drinking vessel. The tradition remained in place until as recently as 2015. Only when the skull-cup began to leak was it relegated to serving chocolate instead of wine.

This grim detail is brought to light in the new book Every Monument Will Fall by Professor Dan Hicks, curator at Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum.

The Skull's Colonial Roots

According to Hicks, the skull was likely taken during British colonial rule, possibly from the Caribbean, and may have belonged to an enslaved woman. Carbon dating places it at approximately 225 years old, yet no definitive record of the skull's identity has ever been found.

The skull was originally bought at a Sotheby’s auction in 1884 by Victorian soldier and archaeologist Augustus Pitt Rivers. It was later donated to Worcester College by his grandson, George Pitt-Rivers, a known supporter of eugenics.

A Symbol of Looted Humanity

In 2019, an investigation into the artifact led to its removal from public view. Today, it remains in the college’s possession but is kept out of sight. The incident is a stark reminder that the spoils of colonialism extended far beyond land and gold—they included bodies, culture, and identity.

“This is not just about looted objects—it’s about looted humanity,” Hicks writes, urging institutions to confront the legacies they continue to hold.