People have probably been making death masks since civilization began. In the ancient world, these masks were usually buried with the dead. At some point though, they became a keepsake, something kept in the house to help remember the dearly departed. In the West, a death mask is a wax or plaster cast made of a person’s face. The death mask became very popular during the 19th century and some famous faces from that time, like Beethoven, became common household decorations. Here are a few people you might recognize, and a few you probably wont:
