Work

Lost or overused: legal, ethical and research imperatives for a centralised human-remains database in the UK

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The skeletal remains of almost 25 700 people excavated in the UK between 1869 and 2008 are unaccounted for. Although their existence is recorded in a human-remains database, their current location is unknown. Here, the authors explore the research, legal and ethical implications of this missing heritage, arguing that difficulties in accessing human remains from smaller sites or under-represented regions stifle research into past lives and contribute to the overuse and potential damage of well-known skeletal collections. To combat this, and to safeguard legacy and future collections, the authors (re)advocate the imperative for a centralised database of human remains.

Source: Antiquity

DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2026.10328

Authors: Mary Lewis, Rebecca Pitt, Solange Bohling

Institutions: University of Reading, University of York

Language: English

Topic: Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550

Funders: University of Reading, Arts and Humanities Research Council