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They did it for "scientific" purposes
In the Victorian era, there was a very widespread and popular theory that the shape of the head (bumps on the skull, etc.) could indicate criminality. I believe there was also the belief that facial features could indicate criminal tendencies (close set eyes, for example).
They made the face masks after the prisoner was hanged so they could study their facial features and/or skull shape to get statistics and test these theories, which have, of course, since been utterly disproved.
posted by bonni
 @ 05.17.2008 09:45
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