Human remains collections give us an intimate connection with people of the past.

They attract great interest from researchers as well as museum visitors and there is now a wealth of methods for studying them, ranging from osteology to cutting-edge scientific techniques such as ancient DNA (aDNA) and isotopic analysis. These approaches provide valuable insights into how people lived and died.

This resource, created in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, focuses on Scottish archaeological collections of human remains resulting from recent and historic excavations though many of the topics will apply more broadly.

Content warning: This page and linked resources contain images and descriptions of archaeological human remains.

What can we learn from the dead? 

This series of short video presentations, delivered by experts working in the field, explore the different scientific techniques now available to study these collections, best practice relating to sampling, and the ethical debates around the appropriate management of human remains.

The videos are intended to assist those working in the museum and heritage sector to:

• Understand and recognise the potential of human remains collections
• Gain a better understanding of the appropriate management of these collections
• Have a greater awareness of the sensitivities and ethics that surround archaeological human remains stored in museum collections
• Gain knowledge of the most common scientific analyses that can be applied to archaeological human remains and appropriate sampling strategies.

A list of resources is provided for further reading.