Scotland's Archaeological Human Remains Collections
This collaborative project will enhance existing research facilities for archaeological human remains in Scotland. It will develop sector-wide strategies for their ethical care, curation and research.
Last updated: 1 October 2024
About the project
Archaeological human remains provide an intimate connection with the people of Scotland’s past. Research into these collections can inform our understanding of topics such as migration, disease and diet, which have great relevance to the modern socio-political environment.
National Museums Scotland currently holds Scottish archaeological human remains from more than 500 sites, comprising approximately 2200 individuals.
These remains come from archaeological sites across Scotland and span human history from the earliest settlers about 8000 years ago through to the medieval period. Regularly featuring in wide-ranging and high-impact research, the remains contribute to collaborative and innovative national and international narratives about the human past in Scotland and the wider world.
As more human remains are uncovered and research interest grows, so does the need to expand storage, develop research frameworks and enhance the ethical care of this important collection.
Scotland’s Archaeological Human Remains Collections (SAHRC) project is a two-year collaborative project, led by National Museums Scotland with Historic Environment Scotland.
Core aims
- To enhance existing storage of and research facilities for the Scottish archaeological human remains at the National Museums Collections Centre.
- To develop the capability to share the research data from these collections for wider impact.
- To provide leadership for the Scottish heritage sector on the ethical care, curation and research of Scottish archaeological human remains through collaboration with national, regional and local partners.
Overall, the approach, combining infrastructure expansion and partnership, will enable the development of ethical collections care and research standards. It will enhance research access to this important scientific collection, as well as providing the opportunity to advance the research capacity of collections across Scotland.
Contributors
Dr Matthew Knight - Project Lead
Senior Curator Prehistory Collections, National Museums Scotland
Matthew’s research interests include the treatment and deposition of material culture in the Bronze Age, particularly metalwork, as well as how and why people and objects were buried. Since 2019, he has held curatorial oversight of the collections management and research access for the Scottish archaeological human remains collections at National Museums Scotland. His work has involved coordinating and supervising osteoarchaeological analyses of the collection, developing and implementing sampling strategies, and collaborating with a wide range of national and international partners on project enhancing our knowledge of the people of Scotland’s past.
Dr Kirsty Owen - Co-Lead
Deputy Head of Archaeology, Historic Environment Scotland
Kirsty leads the delivery of Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy on behalf of HES, and advises on best practice in archaeological heritage management, including the ethical management of human remains. A former trustee of The British Association of Biological Anthropologists and Osteoarchaeologists, Kirsty manages the HES Human Remains and Emergency Call Off contract, working with stakeholders to investigate and record at-risk sites across Scotland. Prior to joining HES in 2007, Kirsty completed her PhD on death, commemoration and the Ars Moriendi tradition at The University of Leicester.
Resources
Archaeological Human Remains Collections
Historic Scotland (2006) The Treatment of Human Remains in Archaeology
Museums Galleries Scotland: Introduction to Human Remains in Museums
Contact list of staff members
Dr Matthew Knight
Partners
Scotland's Archaeological Human Remains Collections is part of the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme, funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council through the UKRI Infrastructure Fund.