The Shansheeth were a species known as galactic undertakers.
Biology
The Shansheeth looked like Earth vultures. They had hunched shoulders and their necks protrudied from the middle section of their shoulders, with feathers around them. They could project an energy beam from their hands offensively. (TV: Death of the Doctor)
Technology
Shansheeth used epitaph stones to communicate with others. They also used a Memory Weave, though whether they created it themselves is unknown. (TV: Death of the Doctor)
Culture
The Shansheeth travelled through space to return lost heroes to their kin. They were grouped into "tribes" and were led by the Wide Wing of the High Shansheeth Nest. Shansheeth wore robes and had small jewels on their forehead. (TV: Death of the Doctor)
History
In 2010 a rogue tribe of Shansheeth, the Claw Shansheeth of the 15th Funeral Fleet, lured the Eleventh Doctor to the Crimson Heart, where they stole his TARDIS, intending to use it for the heroic task of preventing every death in history. Unfortunately, when they were unable to get his key to get in, they planned to use a Memory Weave on his companions, using their minds to create a copy of the key at the cost of their lives, which the Shansheeth argued could be undone once they embarked on their mission.
They came to Earth, claiming to have found the Doctor's body and holding a funeral. When Sarah Jane Smith and Josephine Jones came to the funeral, the Shansheeth Memory Weave found that they had the strongest memories and they planned to use them to create the key. Though the Doctor escaped Crimson Heart, he could not prevent them from being captured. Sarah Jane and Jo overloaded the Memory Weave by recalling all their memories of the Doctor. The Shansheeth were killed when the Memory Weave exploded after overloading. The Wide Wing of the High Shansheeth Nest later apologised for the rogue group. (TV: Death of the Doctor)
Clyde Langer later used the Shansheeth as inspiration for his drawings. (TV: The Empty Planet)
A Shansheeth's head could be seen on display in Hedgewick's World of Wonders in the alien collection. (TV: Nightmare in Silver)
Behind the scenes
- The Shansheeth are similar in design and style of puppeteering as the Skeksis, a group of full body puppets used in the fantasy film The Dark Crystal.