Association of Professional Geneaologists, Member Number: 0015330
Human Skeletal Biology, Ethics, Archival History, and Public Health
Network:
SITE CONTEXT AND ADVISORY
This website contains images of human skeletal remains. All photographs were taken by myself or colleagues in professional settings. The individuals pictured are all modern medical specimens, meaning their remains were donated to science, or are archaeological remains with documented provenance. These materials are presented for educational and research purposes, as well as personal record-keeping, with care and respect for the deceased.
Questions to ask regarding the use of images of human remains
- Were the human remains under consideration excavated in a responsible and culturally sensitive way?
- If the material under consideration was not excavated in a responsible and culturally sensitive way, is it possible to use the circumstances to educate the reader/audience about the importance of doing so?
- Do the images of human remains under consideration show proper respect to appropriate descendent communities, and not violate the wishes of those modern communities?
- Are the images of human remains under consideration necessary for academic or educational purposes in order to illustrate the archaeological evidence in context?
- Is there an intellectual rationale for the use of images of human remains, and does this use avoid any sensationalism?
- Are there alternatives (illustrations, line drawings, archaeological plan maps, or photo-negative formats) that could be used effectively instead of photographs of human remains?
- Images of human remains have the potential to be offensive and unsettling to some members of the communities with whom we work and to whom we present. How can you provide advanced warning of sensitive content for those who might be offended or troubled by images of human remains?
Source: Arcaeological Institute of America,
AIA Guidelines on the Use of Images of Human Remains