Jeweled Skeletons

This short Smithsonian article is about how the skeletons of early Christians were adorned with fabric and gems and venerated as local saints by small churches and monasteries across Europe. Here are some pictures taken from the article:





































I find this fascinating. and I could imagine this inspiring many different great bits of D&D play. I'd hesitate to go the traditional "animated skeleton" route with such a jeweled skeleton, but if I did, the implications of a saintly skeleton being brought to life would be quite fun to play out. Or another route: how many players, do you think, would expect skeleton-venerating villagers to be anything other than generic cultists? Here's a chance to throw away the boring pulp-fiction "evil death cultist" thing in favor of something more layered.