Decision: 'The deceased have no consent'! Egyptian mummies removed from museums
Two museums in Glasgow, Scotland, closed to visitors by removing the Egyptian mummies from display due to lack of consent from the deceased and updated ethical principles.
Two museums in Glasgow, Scotland, made striking decisions regarding the display of Egyptian mummies. Kelvingrove Museum completely removed the display of priest Nekht’s mummy, while the Hunterian Museum covered Lady Shep-En-Hor’s body with a specially prepared cloth, preventing visitors from seeing it.
It was noted that the decisions were made amid ethical debates over exhibiting human remains in museums and the uncertainty about whether the deceased had consented to such displays.
Egyptian Mummies Removed from Exhibitions
Kelvingrove Museum also removed from its display the head, right hand, and right foot of a mummified man taken from Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, in addition to Nekht’s mummy. It was reported that Nekht’s remains were donated to Glasgow in 1923.
The Hunterian Museum, on the other hand, chose to fully cover Lady Shep-En-Hor’s body, thereby preventing visitors from seeing the human remains.
The Exhibition of Human Remains in Museums Is Debated
The exhibition of human remains in museums has become increasingly debated from an ethical standpoint in recent years. In these discussions, preserving the honor of the deceased, considering the conditions under which the remains were obtained, and taking into account the views of the societies from which they come stand out.
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) advised in its updated ethical guidelines in June to adopt a respectful approach toward human remains and to collaborate with the communities from which those remains originate.
The new ethical approach also brought to the fore discussions about treating human remains in museum collections not merely as historical artifacts but as human bodies that must be handled with respect.
Return Requests Can Be Considered
Both museums indicated that they would be able to consider the return of human remains if requested by the relevant country or institution.
The decisions have brought back into focus the balance between museums' responsibilities to preserve and exhibit their historical collections and the ethical handling of human remains.
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