Innovation and Curation: Conservation and Access of University-Held Collections for Research

Summary

The Duckworth Collection is one of the world's largest repositories of human remains, numbering approximately 18,000 individuals. These range from blood samples, to hair bundles, single bones, complete skeletons, mummies, and decorated skulls, and are widely used for scientific research. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, anthropological and biological research gave us a greater understanding of human diversity, much of it based on anatomical evidence. Cambridge was at the forefront of this endeavour, and the result was the Duckworth Collection and Laboratory.

Following best practice guidelines in the document Guidance for the Care of Human Remains in Museums by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in October 2005, the Duckworth Laboratory created its own Policy for the Curation and Conservation of Human Remains. However, the past few years has seen a surge in biomolecular analysis of archaeological remains including human bone, teeth, tissue, hair, and dental plaque; innovative projects that require destructive analysis. A new position of Collections Manager for the Duckworth was created to facilitate this research whilst maintaining the integrity of the Collections. This presentation highlights the recent challenges in balancing both academic demand for sampling and the curation of human remains in the UK.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20578