Conservation and restoration of human remains
[1] Given the organic nature of the human body, special steps must be taken to halt the deterioration process and maintain the integrity of the remains in their existing state.
[2] These types of museum artifacts have great merit as tools for education and scientific research, yet also have unique challenges from a cultural and ethical standpoint.
The word mummy can refer to both intentionally and naturally preserved bodies and is not limited to one geographic area or culture.
Soft tissues are usually in some sort of state of preservation prior to entering a museum collection, but still require periodic care.
American artist Andrew Krasnow has caused controversy in recent decades by creating pieces of contemporary art made of human skin.
Though there is great variety in human remains within museum collections as well as the ways in which they can be preserved, there are a number of best practices to be observed in the preventive care of these types of artifacts.
[15] Proper storage of human remains is not only necessary for their physical preservation, but it also demonstrates the respect that sensitive materials such as these should be accorded.
[16] The ideal storage location for sacred artifacts and human remains is a designated space away from the rest of the collection; however, there are often many constraints which prevent this from being possible.
[18] Generally speaking, human remains are best preserved in cool, dark, dry conditions while wrapped in acid-free (non-buffered) tissue and packing materials.
[2] Overly moist conditions can lead to growth of fungi on protein materials like human remains, which is one of the most common risks they face.
There are many challenges surrounding human remains accessioned by museums, including legal complications involved in dealing with human remains, involvement of living relatives or tribes, and potential repatriation and issues such as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA).
Many museums have human remains in their collections which have been there for over a hundred years, in which case they may likely have been acquired in ethically or morally unsound ways.
Cultural considerations can sometimes interfere with the conservation of human remains, particularly when it comes to physical and chemical analyses, which play an important role in their care.
As one of the oldest well-preserved ancient skeletons found in America, scientists are eager to conduct various testing on the remains.
