Human Remains

Human remains can be found in numerous collections around the world, and their preservation and presentation in museums was long taken for granted. In the meantime, however, the question of whether the existence of human remains in collections and exhibitions is ethically justifiable and - if this is fundamentally affirmed - how they can be handled appropriately is becoming increasingly urgent. There are no simple solutions.
In order to present the current and sometimes divergent discussion in a broad way, this anthology brings together different positions, approaches and examples. The spectrum includes the subjects of Egyptology, anthropology, ethnology, ethics, museology, medical history and law as well as historical and scientific research and investigation methods. The case studies range from ancient Egyptian and South American mummies to bog bodies, Christian relics and Toi moko to 'Ötzi' and the 'Body Worlds' exhibition.