Death in Dunfermline
I thought I'd share my first online archeology course assignment. I am proud to say it receive full marks and generous reviews. I've not put the references in, will provide to those interested. Oh, and btw please excuse my horrible grammar and punctuation.
The assignment.
Let’s start looking at how, when and why archaeology attracts general attention and makes it into the news. Find a current example of an archaeological story (from say within the last month or two) from a newspaper or magazine, a website or a blog. Local stories would be especially welcome, but you can use whatever interests you.
Briefly summarize the article (or attach a link to it, if possible). Why do you think this particular archaeological site, find or issue received such publicity? What did the article emphasize, and what questions do you wish it had answered?
Two medieval skeletons have caused a controversy. An exhibition demonstrating life and death in medieval Dunfermline, will feature two human skeletons. The exhibit focuses on how people lived and died in medieval times. The skeletons were unearthed during excavations to install a drainage pipe in the late 1990’s. Osteological examinations were performed and the results will be a key part of the exhibit.
A former member of the Heritage Trust claims the display is “moral abuse” and stated that this was in contravention of professional (archaeological) practice. The local archaeologist rebutted this, stating that the display of the skeletons was being done in a thoughtful, ethical, and professional manner.
I must admit the promotional material for the exhibit is something more in keeping with Halloween than staid archaeological science. A group of skeletons are dancing on what appears to be a grave yard, one is shown pulling it’s shroud off. That being said attracting the public to a scientific display will be more successful if you use images that attract attention.
Picture from Abbot House promotional materials: Voices from the Past
I believe the article was newsworthy because death is always news.
The article would have been improved if the relevant laws had been referenced. It wasn’t hard for me to find the relevant Scottish Heritage policy paper: The Treatment of Human Remains in Archaeology.
One statement struck me profoundly, “We should perhaps reflect more frequently that the ‘dry bones’ that we study have a shared humanity, separated only by time. As our understanding of the past continues to grow, so should our respect for the achievements and past endeavours of previous generations. Our treatment of their individual remains should be a true reflection of that respect.”
Right of Sepulchre, is the common law doctrine that human remains must be left undisturbed in their final place of deposition with rare exceptions defined by statutory law. It is this right that archaeologists come up against when they encounter human remains during an excavation in their efforts to understand the past.
The complainant may have a case as policy 54 states: “We will not normally display human remains at our Properties in Care.” Museums have their own policies re human remains. These must adhere to Scottish Law, which at present does not call for mandatory re-burial of human remains.
The article brought to the fore how human remains from archaeological excavations are dealt with. This is a contentious issue in North America and Australia, where aboriginal groups have lobbied to change laws to protect their sacred burial grounds from destruction. For hundreds of years, aboriginal skeletal remains weren’t afforded appropriate respect. It is only since the last 50 years that these remains have been given appropriate reburials. Archaeologists wishing to study Aboriginal sites must seek permission and follow the restrictions placed by the local Aboriginal groups.
In many jurisdictions, human remains are to be reburied within a set period of time. Archaeologist’s studying pre-historic human remains are frustrated by the limits imposed, which will impede scientific inquiry. As new techniques for studying human remains emerge, the loss of such rare specimens could be significant.
I wish the article had gone further and discussed the ramifications of excavating human remains. If they are to be reburied, how do we know what form of burial is appropriate? Not all are Christians. What is the public attitude to archaeological study of human remains?
Finally, as a member of the public, I wouldn’t know the difference between the real thing and a model cast in plastic. I had the opportunity to go to the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose. While there I spent some time looking at the display of a cist grave. I’d seen a cist grave at the Guayabo National Monument and found the display helpful, as fences kept us a good distance from the grave. I must admit, I’m now wondering if the skeleton I saw that day was a real one or a plastic model. I hope it was a plastic, as I don’t see any reason to have human remains on display to the public. As a student in health care, I’ve used plastic models for learning purposes and they were adequate for our needs.
Cist Grave with grave goods, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, photo by author, January 2014
Do we need to publically display the human skeletal remains to learn how people lived a long time ago?