The human skeleton has long been a resource for science, offering insights into disease, migration, and evolution. But behind every collection of bones stored in laboratories and museums lies a deeper story—one of power, consent, and ethics. A recent paper in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology urges anthropologists and anatomists to confront the legacy of human skeletal collections and calls for a new ethical framework that prioritizes transparency, community collaboration, and respect for the deceased.
A Legacy of Exploitation
For centuries, human remains have been collected, often without consent, to serve scientific and medical purposes. During the 19th and 20th centuries, anthropologists, medical schools, and museums amassed vast collections of human bones, frequently taken from marginalized communities—Indigenous groups, enslaved individuals, and the poor. Many of these remains were acquired through colonial grave robbing, unethical medical research, or outright theft.
As biological anthropologist Gwen Robbins Schug and her colleagues point out in their new study, skeletal remains were often treated as mere specimens, detached from their human identities.
"These were once living people, with families and histories. The ways in which their remains have been used, stored, and studied have not always honored that fact," the authors write.
The Call for Ethical Reform
The study is part of a broader movement within anthropology to rethink the way human remains are curated, studied, and displayed. The authors argue for several key reforms:
Transparency in Collection Histories: Museums and universities should fully document and disclose the origins of their skeletal collections.
Collaboration with Descendant Communities: Whenever possible, institutions should work with communities whose ancestors' remains are housed in collections, allowing them a say in how those remains are treated.
Prioritization of Repatriation and Reburial: When remains were taken without consent, institutions should make efforts to return them to their communities or facilitate respectful reburial.
Non-Destructive Research Methods: Advances in technology allow researchers to gather data from skeletal remains without permanently altering them. These methods should be prioritized to minimize harm.
"Ethics needs to be at the forefront of all the work that we do," Schug and her colleagues argue, emphasizing that the field must reckon with its colonial and racist foundations.
Recent Ethical Controversies
The paper comes at a time of increasing scrutiny of how human remains are handled in scientific and academic settings. Several high-profile cases have highlighted the issue.
In 2021, it was revealed that Princeton University had been storing and using remains of two Black children who were killed in the 1985 Philadelphia MOVE bombing for forensic anthropology classes—without the knowledge or consent of their families. The revelation sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for accountability in anthropology and forensic science.
Similarly, many Indigenous communities have long fought for the return of their ancestors' remains. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), passed in 1990, was intended to facilitate the return of remains to tribal communities, but many institutions have been slow to comply.
The Future of Ethical Research
The study's authors stress that this is a turning point for the field. Ethical research is not about halting scientific inquiry but about conducting it responsibly. As Siân Halcrow, one of the co-authors, explains, "We have the tools and the knowledge to study the past without repeating the mistakes of the past. Now, we need the will to do so.
Anthropologists and anatomists must shift from a mindset of ownership to one of stewardship—recognizing that human remains are not mere objects of study but the physical legacy of real people. By embracing ethical research practices, the field can move forward in a way that respects both the dead and the living.
Additional Related Research:
Blakey, M. L. (2022). "The Skeletal Biographies of Enslaved Africans in the Americas: Ethics and Research." Annual Review of Anthropology, 51, 125-142. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-092421-061013
Colwell, C. (2017). Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits: Inside the Fight to Reclaim Native America’s Culture. University of Chicago Press.
de la Cova, C. (2022). "The Ethics of Teaching with Human Remains: A Bioarchaeological Perspective." American Anthropologist, 124(4), 765-779. https://doi.org/10.1111/aman.13648
Fine-Dare, K. S. (2002). Grave Injustice: The American Indian Repatriation Movement and NAGPRA. University of Nebraska Press.
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