Saffron Walden Museum

Posted August 14th, 2008 by Mike.Fletcher
Location: 
Museum Street
Location: 
Saffron Walden
Location: 
CB10 1JL
Telephone: 
01799 510333
Museum Website: 
Saffron Walden Museum
Parent Organisation: 
Colections and Buildings are owned by Saffron Walden Museum Society Ltd
Funding Organisation: 
Uttlesford District Council
YLM Questionnaire Completed: 
Yes
Comment: 

The museum tells us that it is likely they wil be looking at a more developed policy on human remains in the near future, in conjunction with other museums in Essex through the Essex Museum Workers Group.

Disposal Policy: 
Yes
HR On Display: 
Yes
HAD HR Display Rating: 
Entirely Unacceptable
HR Count: 
295
HR Count Pre-Christian: 
21
Iconic HR: 
Yes
How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance: 
295 burials, of which 281 are Christian. Of the ancient British and preChristian, there are 14 burials, representing at least 21 individuals. In many cases remains are fragmentary, and sometimes more than one is present. One is a Bronze Age, the rest being Late Iron Age or Roman.
How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?: 
All are well provenanced, and all have been excavated since the late 1960s, mostly from small excavations in advance of development, so brief reports exist in local and county publications.
Where there are human remains in store, is there a history of use?: 
Enquiry files, correspondence and display files would allow history of use to be largely reconstructed.
Where there are human remains in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?: 
Yes, mainly scientific analysis with development of new techniques and theories.
Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?: 
The museum has its Aquisition and Disposal Policy, as required for the museum accreditation scheme, and this carries a brief statement on human remains generally (3.6.6), and under Archaeology (5.1.1). Remains are acquired only if they have identified potential according to excavators.
What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?: 
Being in a public museum is considered to be part of the public domain - information is provided to enquirers and researchers. Excavation reports, published by excavators, are the principle source. Like many local museum services, the museum has been constrained by lack of adequate buildings and resources to computerise collections records. Thanks to grants from the HLF and other sources, the museum is about to embark on a major 3.5 year project which amongst other things will : - provide a new resource centre to house reserve collections, including archaeology and excavated remains, with better facilities for researchers, - digitise collections records, so that by the end of the project it should be possible to access much more information on collections online, including information on human remains. The new building will greatly improve standards of care and access to collections for all potential enquirers and users. For human remains which are retained because of research and educational potential, a separate and covered static unit at the end of the store will provide a designated storage area to reflect the different status of human remains from other categories of finds. A copy of a list of human remains can be provided on request.
Are any of these remains currently on display and in what context?: 
There are two late Saxon Christian skeletons, an ancient Greek lidded pot with cremated remains, and an ancient Egyptian wrapped mummy. Pagan (prehistoric Romano-British and early Saxon) burials and associated rituals are represented by grave goods.
What is your opinion, and that of other Pagans or local community, of this display?: 
HAD's local contact was concerned that the display of two Saxon skeletons, set into the floor so that visitors can walk on them, is not acceptable.
Does the museum hold any iconic HR, i.e. figures of local or national importance, and are these on display?: 
Although the museum does not consider the Saxon remains above to be iconic, HAD's local contact has suggested that they are.