UK Museums Face Mounting Pressure to Return Human Remains

A growing chorus of voices, including Members of Parliament and archaeologists, is demanding that UK museums address a “shameful legacy of colonialism” by repatriating the vast number of human remains held in their collections. Recent investigations and reports have brought renewed scrutiny to the ethical implications of displaying and storing these remains, many of which were acquired during periods of colonial rule and often in ways considered sacrilegious.

Scale of the Collections

An investigation by The Guardian revealed that UK museums hold more than 263,000 items of human remains sourced from around the globe. This includes whole skeletons, preserved bodies like Egyptian mummies, skulls, bones, skin, teeth, nails, scalps, and hair. Approximately 37,000 items are known to originate from overseas, with an additional 16,000 of unknown origin.

The distribution of these remains reflects historical colonial patterns. Of the 28,914 items originating from outside Europe, 11,856 reach from Africa, 9,550 from Asia, 3,252 from Oceania, 2,276 from North America, and 1,980 from South America.

Largest Collections

The Natural History Museum in London possesses the largest collection of non-European human remains, holding at least 11,215 items, with significant holdings from Asia and the Americas. The University of Cambridge follows closely with at least 8,740 items in its Duckworth laboratory, including the largest collection (6,223) of remains originating from Africa.

Calls for Repatriation and Legal Changes

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations (APPG-AR) has issued a report, “Laying Ancestors to Rest,” calling for significant changes to how human remains are treated in the UK. Recommendations include making the sale of human remains illegal and amending the Human Tissue Act of 2004 to regulate the display and storage of remains over 100 years old. The report too suggests requiring museums to obtain a license from the Human Tissue Authority for storage and prohibiting public display without consent.

MPs have condemned the practice of storing remains in undignified conditions, with some institutions admitting to holding remains in cardboard boxes with little to no documentation regarding their origin. Lord Paul Boateng described the collections as “imperial charnel houses,” while Bell Ribeiro-Addy, MP and chair of the APPG-AR, called the situation “barbaric.”

Ethical Concerns and Museum Responses

The debate extends to the ethical implications of displaying human remains, particularly those obtained during colonial conflicts. The case of Zaki el-Salahi, who discovered body parts of his ancestors at the University of Edinburgh’s Anatomical Museum, highlights the distress caused by such displays. These remains were taken after the Battle of Omdurman in Sudan in 1898.

The Natural History Museum states its commitment to “high standards of care and stewardship” and claims it has not refused any repatriation requests with established connections to requesting communities. The Museums Association has welcomed updated guidance and legislation on the ethical treatment of human remains.

Looking Ahead

The pressure on UK museums to address the issue of human remains is intensifying. The call for a national register of human remains and mandatory repatriation guidelines signals a potential shift in policy. The debate raises fundamental questions about the legacy of colonialism, the ethical responsibilities of museums, and the respectful treatment of ancestral remains.