YLM Database

Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

Beaumont Street
Oxford
OX1 2PH

Website: http://www.ashmolean.org

Parent Organisation:
Funded by:

The Ashmolean is one of the University of Oxford museums and is funded by a mixture of funding, including, some from the University, UKRI, Arts Council, Philanthropy, self-generated income, research grants and endowments.

YLM Entry Submitted: Yes
Comments:

How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance, pre-Christian or in other way Pagan?:

A search of the museum’s collections database calls up 507 records containing human remains.

There are approximately 369 records for remains with a British provenance, the majority dating from the early medieval period, though there are also earlier remains.

Total: 507

How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?:

There is documentation including provenance for most remains, including place of burial and year of exhumation for archaeologically excavated remains. The place of exhumation is not always known for non-archaeological material. Where date is difficult to determine a general time period is usually specified.

Where there are ancestors in store, is there a history of use?:

Yes. Oxford University Museum guidance is followed. https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/human-remains-policy

Where there are ancestors in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?

Yes. Oxford University Museum guidance is followed. https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/human-remains-policy

Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?:Yes

The museum follows the University policy on human remains which does not favour disposal. The museum’s ‘Transfer Procedures’ documents specifies the below as conditions of acceptance of archaeological archives: “The Museum expects excavators to follow recognised national guidelines and standards for the conduct of archaeological work. It also expects them to have an appropriate written policy regarding the ethical treatment of human remains during excavation and post-excavation work, which is mindful of the recommendations of relevant national and international archaeological and museum organisations. A copy should be included in the site archive where appropriate.”. The licence to exhume human remains is usually included in the documentation when an archive is deposited

What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?:

Archaeological excavation reports that contain information about many of the human remains exist as grey literature and / or published reports, articles, monographs or books and are in the public domain. Other or further information may appear in other forms of publication, such as books or webpages on burial practices. The Museum’s Online Collections are currently being updated.

Does the museum have ancestors (human remains) on display?:Yes

What are thought to be kidney stones are the only human remains that are on display from the British archaeology collections. There are 6 Ancient Egyptian mummies on display in original wrappings and coffins, and a single skull displayed in the both the Ancient Greece and Ancient Near East Galleries.

Smartify audio guide has an entry about one the Ancient Egyptian mummies on display and invites visitors to submit their opinion on the display of human remains in museums.

Does the museum hold any iconic ancestors, ie. complete skeletons with a well documented story, or those considered of national or local importance, and are these on display?:

There are no complete skeletons of iconic people. We do hold small locks of hair of King Edward IV and Prince Charles Edward Stuart, neither of which are on display.

Has the museum used or considered using replicas in displays? If not, why not and what would you find useful in moving to these? If you have, what response did these receive?:

The museum has replicas of early hominins on display in the European Prehistory gallery. The Egyptian galleries contain photographic images and a 3D representation of the mummy of a boy, taken from a CT scan and recreated via ink on 111 sheets of glass.

Documents:
https://www.honour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/formidable/2/YLM-Questionnaire-2022_Ashmolean_Museum_Oxford.docx

21 December, 2022