For decades, a chalice made from a human skull was used by Oxford academics at Worcester College until 2015. Professor Dan Hicks, author of 'Every Monument Will Fall', investigates its colonial roots, highlighting the erasure of the identities of enslaved individuals from history. The skull, dating back 225 years and likely belonging to an enslaved woman from the Caribbean, illustrates the troubling legacy of colonialism, which often glorifies the perpetrators while neglecting the stories of their victims. Hicks emphasizes the need to acknowledge this dark chapter of history.
"The skull-cup... was used regularly at formal dinners at Worcester College, Oxford, until 2015... It began to leak wine before it was ultimately retired."
"Debates about the legacy of colonialism usually focused on the prominent Britons who profited from it, but I wanted to show how the identities of the victims... were erased."
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