The Death Mask has been around for centuries, used before photography as memorial of our beloved. Made from all kinds of material, clay, plaster, even gold, the death mask is still happening today in order to memorialize famous people, except now they call it "Life Casting". It's pretty obvious that this is where the idea of the "mask" came from, except now it is used for movies, masquerades, Halloween, or so no one can recognize you. There are many references to death masks in history, especially through the Mayan and Egyptian periods. Masks were also used for ritual purposes, to represent a certain spirit. In Victorian times, the art of phrenology was used by scientists to study the size and shape of the head, giving clues to a persons personality or character. Not many people still ask for such memorials of their loved ones, thinking it may be too macabre in this day in age, but there are a few that still offer the service to those that are still interested.
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