History Main / DesertSkull

* Shows up in many GeorgiaOKeefe paintings.

** In another ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon, ''BugsBunnyGetsTheBoid'', Bugs falls into a hole next to some cow bones, and he briefly thinks the bones are his. Later, he tricks Killer the Buzzard into thinking the same.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has [[CuteMonsterGirl Neliel Tu Odelshvanck]], who has part of such a skull attached to the top of her head. She lives roaming around the desert that is [[{{Mordor}} Hueco Mundo]].
** The arrancar Rudbornn also has a more traditional-looking desert bovine skull around his head, like a helmet.

* BugsBunny [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset wears one]] in the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "TheWackyWabbit".

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[[quoteright:220:[[WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ArthurBovineSkull_2013.png]]]]

->''"(...I'm just a pile of bleached bones. [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial I can't talk.]])"''
-->--'''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A pile of bleached bones]]''', ''VideoGame/EarthBound''

Whenever a show features or references a desert, savannah or other barren land, odds are good that a bovine cranium will be involved to set the mood.

Often accompanied by [[AllDesertsHaveCacti cacti]].

Compare RibcageRidge, a sister trope.
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!!Examples:

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' has [[CuteMonsterGirl Neliel Tu Odelshvanck]], who has part of such a skull attached to the top of her head. She lives roaming around the desert that is [[{{Mordor}} Hueco Mundo]].
** The arrancar Rudbornn also has a more traditional-looking desert bovine skull around his head, like a helmet.
* The opening scene of ''Anime/GunXSword'' has Van looking down at an animal skull in the desert and questioning why the creature isn't still alive for him to eat.

[[AC:{{Art}}]]
* Shows up in many GeorgiaOKeefe paintings.

[[AC:ComicBooks]]
* Three ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' strips had [[CloudCuckoolander Jon]] [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/05/25/ bring home one of these]], which Garfield then [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset put]] [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/05/26/ on Odie]], while [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/05/27/ Jon was talking to his mother on the phone about it]].
* In the comic strip ''ComicStrip/BeyondTheBlackStump'', two recurring characters are a pair of skulls out in the desert somewhere who pass the time having odd conversations.
* ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'': One uncaptioned cartoon shows a pair of oxen pulling a covered wagon across the desert, turning their heads as they pass a bovine skull.

[[AC:{{Film}} -- Animated]]
* The [[IncrediblyLamePun owl mariachi]] band from ''{{Rango}}'' stood on one of these while singing about Rango's journey.
* On ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail: Fievel Goes West'', Tiger runs into a buffalo skeleton that seems to come to life when he's not looking. Turns out it's being manipulated by native mice, who then capture Tiger.
* ''Disney/TheLionKing'': As Simba returns to the Pridelands, he finds it riddled with wildebeest skeletons to show how Scar's rule has ruined the land. At the end, as Simba returns to power, there's a brief shot of a skull being washed away by the rain, to symbolize the end of the old regime.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' featured a variation of this: since all animals in their world are also vehicles, in the desert surrounding Radiator Springs, there appear to be rusted-up car parts lying among the rocks and cacti.

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''AnimalCrossing'', this shows up as a furniture item in the "American West/frontier" set. [[FurryConfusion Sometimes animals who are cows have them in their homes...]]
* In ''EarthBound'', you can actually have a conversation with a cattle skeleton in the Dusty Dunes Desert. [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial It, of course, claims otherwise]].
* Appears multiple times throughout the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series, natch. [[AlasPoorYorick It's not always a cow skull, though...]]
* The original ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'' had all sorts of bones and skulls in the randomly-generated desert terrain tiles.
* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'''s Sand Zone is full of bones... including [[DemBones animated ones]].
* The standard ''VideoGame/{{Clonk}}'' desert scenarios contain, along with [[AllDesertsHaveCacti cacti]], animal skulls as decoration.
* ''Videogame/{{Eets}}'' uses this as decoration for desert-themed levels.
* These can be found in the desert levels of the GameBoyAdvance ''{{Fire Emblem}}'' games. Rare items can be dug up in the nearby sands.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* In ''PioneerTrail'' (formerly ''{{Frontierville}}''), these keep popping up on disused parts of your homestead.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* BugsBunny [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset wears one]] in the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' short "TheWackyWabbit".
** In another ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoon, ''BugsBunnyGetsTheBoid'', Bugs falls into a hole next to some cow bones, and he briefly thinks the bones are his. Later, he tricks Killer the Buzzard into thinking the same.
* At the top of the ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' episode [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLb2dcHNjKc "Feeling Flush,"]] there's an ImagineSpot where the kids are walking through the desert. The very first shot we see is of a skull (pictured above).
* There's one of these (with overly ornate horns) atop the sign for the Gold City Guest Ranch in the "[[IncrediblyLamePun Mine Your Own Business]]" episode of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo''.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' has these, except some of them seem to be skulls of ''aquatic'' animals.
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* ''{{Cars}}'' featured a variation of this: since all animals in their world are also vehicles, in the desert surrounding Radiator Springs, there appear to be rusted-up car parts lying among the rocks and cacti.

* Appears multiple times throughout the ''{{Fallout}}'' series, natch. [[AlasPoorYorick It's not always a cow skull, though...]]

Whenever a show features or references a desert, savannah or other barren land, odds are good that a bovine cranium will be involved to settle the mood.

-->--'''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin A pile of]] [[DesertSkull bleached bones]]''', ''VideoGame/EarthBound''

* ''Videogame/{{Eets}}''

[[quoteright:220:[[{{Arthur}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ArthurBovineSkull_2013.png]]]]

* ''TheFarSide'': One uncaptioned cartoon shows a pair of oxen pulling a covered wagon across the desert, turning their heads as they pass a bovine skull.

* The standard ''Videogame/{{Clonk}}'' desert scenarios contain, along with [[AllDesertsHaveCacti cacti]], animal skulls as decoration.

* ''BugsBunny'' [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset wears one]] in the ''LooneyTunes'' short "TheWackyWabbit".
** In another ''LooneyTunes'' cartoon, ''BugsBunnyGetsTheBoid'', Bugs falls into a hole next to some cow bones, and he briefly thinks the bones are his. Later, he tricks Killer the Buzzard into thinking the same.

* There's one of these (with overly ornate horns) atop the sign for the Gold City Guest Ranch in the "[[IncrediblyLamePun Mine Your Own Business]]" episode of ''ScoobyDoo''.

* ''{{Bleach}}'' has [[CuteMonsterGirl Neliel Tu Odelshvanck]], who has part of such a skull attached to the top of her head. She lives roaming around the desert that is [[{{Mordor}} Hueco Mundo]].

* The opening scene of ''GunXSword'' has Van looking down at an animal skull in the desert and questioning why the creature isn't still alive for him to eat.

* Three ''{{Garfield}}'' strips had [[CloudCuckoolander Jon]] [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/05/25/ bring home one of these]], which Garfield then [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset put]] [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/05/26/ on Odie]], while [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/05/27/ Jon was talking to his mother on the phone about it]].

* On ''AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'', Tiger runs into a buffalo skeleton that seems to come to life when he's not looking. Turns out it's being manipulated by native mice, who then capture Tiger.
* ''TheLionKing'': As Simba returns to the Pridelands, he finds it riddled with wildebeest skeletons to show how Scar's rule has ruined the land. At the end, as Simba returns to power, there's a brief shot of a skull being washed away by the rain, to symbolize the end of the old regime.

* In the comic strip ''BeyondTheBlackStump'', two recurring characters are a pair of skulls out in the desert somewhere who pass the time having odd conversations.

* In ''{{Earthbound}}'' you can actually have a conversation with a cattle skeleton in the Dusty Dunes Desert.

* ''{{Fallout}}'' loves this trope.

* ''CaveStory'''s Sand Zone is full of bones... including [[DemBones animated ones]].

* The original ''{{Starcraft}}'' had all sorts of bones and skulls in the randomly-generated desert terrain tiles.

* These can be found in the desert levels GBA ''{{Fire Emblem}}'' games. Rare items can be dug up in the nearby sands.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* On ''AnAmericanTailFievelGoesWest'', Tiger runs into a buffalo skeleton that seems to come to life when he's not looking. Turns out it's being manipulated by native mice, who then capture Tiger.

* ''TheLionKing'': As Simba returns to the Pridelands, he finds it riddled with wildebeest skeletons to show how Scar's rule has ruined the land. At the end, as Simba returns to power, there's a brief shot of a skull being washed away by the rain, to symbolize the end of the old regime.

[[AC:Notable Aversions]]
* This has yet to show up on ''BreakingBad'', which is set in New Mexico and features lots of SceneryPorn, making this a marvelous AvertedTrope.

* At the top of the ''{{Arthur}}'' episode [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLb2dcHNjKc "Feeling Flush,"]] there's an ImagineSpot where the kids are walking through the desert. The very first shot we see is of a skull (pictured above).

* ''{{Eets}}''

* The standard ''{{Clonk}}'' desert scenarios contain, along with [[AllDesertsHaveCacti cacti]], animal skulls as decoration.

* {{Fallout}} loves this trope.

** In another LooneyTunes cartoon, "BugsBunnyGetsTheBoid", Bugs falls into a hole next to some cow bones, and he briefly thinks the bones are his. Later, he tricks Killer the Buzzard into thinking the same.