{"title":"A consolidated summary of South African human skeletal repositories","authors":"Athi Baliso , Sadiyah Malek , Victoria E. Gibbon","doi":"10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152326","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aim</h3><p>Human skeletal repositories are crucial resources for research and education in human biology, variation, anatomy, biocultural frameworks, forensic/medico-legal casework, heritage and understanding the past. In this review paper, we assess the composition of human skeletal repositories in South Africa, along with the ethical and legal frameworks that safeguard their curation.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The data and information pertaining to local human skeletal repositories were gathered through a combination of literature review and direct contact with local curators for information. Data pertaining to source origins, sample demographics, and temporal distribution (where applicable) were extracted and reporting trends across publications were assessed.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>South Africa has 12 main human skeletal repositories, six affiliated with universities and six with museums. There are over 12 300 human skeletal remains housed across these repositories, mainly of cadaveric, archaeological, forensic (medico-legal), and unknown origin. Universities are primarily stewards of large cadaveric collections (n = ± 6 200); however, a few manage archaeological (n = ± 1 300) and forensic repositories (n = ± 1 000). Museums exclusively curate repositories of archaeological origin and approximately ± 3 700 archaeological individuals can be found countrywide.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The ethical challenges faced by South African repositories are deeply connected to the country's colonial and apartheid history. Concerns related to consent, autonomy, cultural sensitivity, data availability and the respectful treatment of the deceased, require constant attention and consideration. We highlight several initiatives undertaken to address these issues, including the implementation of new management approaches by repositories, a shift away from using unclaimed bodies, efforts in deaccessioning and repatriation and an increased focus on community engagement.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50974,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Anatomy-Anatomischer Anzeiger","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0940960224001183/pdfft?md5=d13fa8b161f3dedff4e2997d47711f48&pid=1-s2.0-S0940960224001183-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annals of Anatomy-Anatomischer Anzeiger","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0940960224001183","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ANATOMY & MORPHOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Aim
Human skeletal repositories are crucial resources for research and education in human biology, variation, anatomy, biocultural frameworks, forensic/medico-legal casework, heritage and understanding the past. In this review paper, we assess the composition of human skeletal repositories in South Africa, along with the ethical and legal frameworks that safeguard their curation.
Methods
The data and information pertaining to local human skeletal repositories were gathered through a combination of literature review and direct contact with local curators for information. Data pertaining to source origins, sample demographics, and temporal distribution (where applicable) were extracted and reporting trends across publications were assessed.
Results
South Africa has 12 main human skeletal repositories, six affiliated with universities and six with museums. There are over 12 300 human skeletal remains housed across these repositories, mainly of cadaveric, archaeological, forensic (medico-legal), and unknown origin. Universities are primarily stewards of large cadaveric collections (n = ± 6 200); however, a few manage archaeological (n = ± 1 300) and forensic repositories (n = ± 1 000). Museums exclusively curate repositories of archaeological origin and approximately ± 3 700 archaeological individuals can be found countrywide.
Conclusions
The ethical challenges faced by South African repositories are deeply connected to the country's colonial and apartheid history. Concerns related to consent, autonomy, cultural sensitivity, data availability and the respectful treatment of the deceased, require constant attention and consideration. We highlight several initiatives undertaken to address these issues, including the implementation of new management approaches by repositories, a shift away from using unclaimed bodies, efforts in deaccessioning and repatriation and an increased focus on community engagement.
期刊介绍:
Annals of Anatomy publish peer reviewed original articles as well as brief review articles. The journal is open to original papers covering a link between anatomy and areas such as
•molecular biology,
•cell biology
•reproductive biology
•immunobiology
•developmental biology, neurobiology
•embryology as well as
•neuroanatomy
•neuroimmunology
•clinical anatomy
•comparative anatomy
•modern imaging techniques
•evolution, and especially also
•aging