Scotland's Archaeological Human Remains Collection

The archaeological human remains collection is the most intensively researched part of the Scottish History and Archaeology (SHA) collections at National Museums Scotland (NMS). Regularly featuring in wide-ranging and high-impact osteoarchaeological and biomolecular studies, the remains contribute to collaborative and innovative national and international narratives about the human past in Scotland and the wider world.



Research interest in the collections is growing. However, the facilities to meet research demand are significantly lacking, with limited space for collections and researchers, no equipment to enable onsite sampling, no centralised data repository and no dedicated specialist staff member supporting research access and development. As a result, staff capacity for facilitating research requests is limited and collections are frequently sent offsite for external analysis, which puts them at risk in transit. Additionally, there is presently no established pathway for allocation and storage of excavated human burials in Scotland, representing a systemic issue for the Scottish heritage sector.



In direct response to these challenges, this project will establish Scotland's Archaeological Human Remains Collection (SAHRC) at the National Museums Collections Centre (NMCC), in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland (HES). There will be three core objectives:



Increase capacity to meet the demand from researchers in the UK and beyond to access and analyse the Scottish archaeological human remains collection
Develop the capability to share the research data from these collections for wider impact
Provide leadership for the Scottish heritage sector on the ethical care, curation and research of Scottish archaeological human remains through collaboration with regional and local partners.
The funding allocated will enable the extension and enhancement of existing human remains storage at the NMCC in Edinburgh by increasing storage capacity by 70% and providing dedicated layout space for researchers. The new space will hold NMS' existing collections and accommodate those currently held in temporary storage by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) at various locations, inaccessible to researchers. Increasing accessibility is a core principle of the project and fundamental for the responsible curation of this collection.



Additionally, the capital funding will secure essential research equipment, including a fume hood for sampling material for scientific analyses, and state-of-the-art visualisation equipment enabling the effective scientific research of these collections on site. The RICHeS Curator of Osteoarchaeology, a specialist full-time role, will support the curation, management and access of these collections and as the first such dedicated osteoarchaeological post in a museum in Scotland will provide curatorial support across the sector. The development of the SAHRC will be supported and informed by an advisory board and network of specialists from across the UK.



Crucially, the study of human remains is used to inform our understanding of topics such as migration, disease and diet, which have great relevance to the modern socio-political environment. Enabling greater research access will thus improve our understanding of these topics, which can feed into the museum's dissemination of knowledge to our diverse global audiences, while feeding into sector-wide approaches to these topics within a cohesive and meaningful research strategy.



Overall, the approach proposed, combining infrastructure expansion and partnership, will enable the development of ethical collections care and research standards, and enhance research access to this important scientific collection, as well as providing the opportunity to advance the research capacity of collections across Scotland.