Image: National Museums Scotland curators Dr Matthew Knight and Bethany Simpson examine archaeological human remains (Duncan McGlynn)
The project will operate in Scottish museum collections, and will see the appointment of the first dedicated Curator of Osteoarchaeology
A project to increase the care and curation of archaeological human remains in Scottish museum collections has been announced.
National Museums Scotland has announced the Archaeological Human Remains Collections (SAHRC) a collaborative project alongside Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC, it will see the appointment of Scotland’s first dedicated Curator of Osteoarchaeology and the expansion and enhancement of research and storage facilities at the National Museums Collection Centre.
It will also provide leadership and guidance for the Scottish heritage sector on the ethical care, curation and research of Scottish archaeological human remains.
The long-term project will “ensure archaeological human remains are safeguarded by coming into museum collections, and will establish sector-wide research protocols for others to consult”, the organisation said.
The is part of the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme, funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Arts and Humanities Research Council through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund.
Dr Matthew Knight, Senior Curator of Prehistory (Bronze Age Collections) at National Museums Scotland is lead investigator on the project.
Dr Knight said the project will “enhance how we store and care for their remains for the long term in an ethical and sensitive way, while enabling greater accessibility and opportunities for researchers, helping us to develop our knowledge of Scotland’s human history.”
National Museums Scotland currently holds Scottish archaeological human remains from 528 sites and assemblages, representing over 2200 individuals. These remains derive from archaeological sites across Scotland and span human history from the earliest settlers about 8000 years ago to the medieval period.
Human remains were among the first donations to the museum in 1781, and museums continue to collect and curate remains from archaeological excavations today.
As part of SAHRC, archaeological human remains which have been excavated during emergency investigations and which are currently curated by HES will be transferred to the collections of National Museums Scotland to be managed by the new Curator of Osteoarchaeology, ensuring better access for researchers.
Dr Kirsty Owen, Deputy Head of Archaeology at HES, added: “As one of the lead bodies for Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy, we recognise that ensuring that human remains collections are stored appropriately and that comparable ethical standards are maintained by visiting researchers is particularly challenging for museum curators. This project is a big step forward in addressing these issues.”
The work at the National Museums Collection Centre in Granton, north Edinburgh, is expected to create 70% more space for the storage of archaeological human remains, in addition to introducing new scanning and sampling equipment.
National Museums Scotland and HES will coordinate an advisory board and group of project partners drawn from across the UK museums and heritage sector to steer the research, curation and ethical management of archaeological human remains in Scotland, it said.
