Vast scale of overseas human remains held in UK museums decried by MPs and experts | Colonialism

UK museums hold over 263,000 items of human remains sourced from around the world, a collection MPs and archaeologists describe as a troubling legacy of colonialism and, in many cases, sacrilegious. An investigation revealed that thousands of these items originate from former British colonies, with many stored without proper documentation or respect.

Scale of the Collections

The Guardian’s investigation, based on freedom of information (FoI) requests, found that 37,000 items of human remains are known to originate from overseas, with the provenance of another 16,000 items unknown. Of the 28,914 items originating from outside Europe, 11,856 came from Africa, 9,550 from Asia, 3,252 from Oceania, 2,276 from North America, and 1,980 from South America.

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

Concerns Over Storage and Respect

Of the 241 museums, universities, and councils holding human remains, only 100 disclosed the number of individuals represented in their collections, totaling around 79,334 people. Many institutions admitted to lacking detailed records, with some reporting remains stored in cardboard boxes without knowing the number or origin of the items.

Lord Paul Boateng described the collections as “imperial charnel houses” retaining the bones of Indigenous peoples “in circumstances that beggar belief.” Bell Ribeiro-Addy, MP and chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Afrikan reparations, called the warehousing of looted remains “barbaric” and a potential “crime.” She added that the treatment of the remains demonstrates “a complete lack of respect” and a denial of dignity, even in death.

Contradiction of Government Guidance

Experts say the findings contradict the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) 2005 guidance, which stated that “the vast majority of human remains in UK museums are of UK origin.” Dan Hicks, professor of contemporary archaeology at the University of Oxford, explained that many collections include bodies and body parts looted from cemeteries and battlefields during the colonial period, brought back as trophies or for use in racial pseudoscience.

Hicks, who analyzed the FoI responses, noted that many museums are failing to follow government guidance on respectful storage and inventorying of human remains. The guidance advises storing remains separately, handling them respectfully, and compiling a public inventory.

Boateng called for the DCMS to create a national register of human remains and issue mandatory guidelines for their return to their countries and peoples of origin, wherever possible.

The DCMS and the University of Cambridge declined to comment. The Museums Association stated that a significant number of overseas human remains were acquired during the colonial period and welcomed updated guidance and legislation on ethical treatment. The Natural History Museum stated its commitment to high standards of care and stewardship and noted it has not refused to return remains to established requesting communities. The Duckworth collections’ webpage states it follows government guidance on the care of human remains.