New handout for schools on handling human remains in their collections

In addition to a current description of the situation and a historical, legal and scientific-ethical categorisation, the guide focuses primarily on various suggestions for the specific handling of human remains in a school context. Among other things, it shows how pupils can be involved in researching the relevant collections and deciding on their future. It also addresses the question of how human remains and the changing way society deals with them can initiate a discussion of the topics of "death" and "dealing with the dead body" in the classroom.

In 2022 and 2023, three school groups from different grades took part in the citizen science project "HUMANS". All participants jointly investigated human remains using non-invasive methods and received theoretical knowledge in workshops, for example on the basics of provenance research, which they were then able to apply at their own school. They were supported by academics from various disciplines, such as forensic anthropologist PD Dr Eileen Jopp-van-Well and medical historian Ralf Höger from the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf. All units were also reflected on through intensive joint discussions.

In addition, the open-ended design of the project allowed for individual extensions to the programme. For example, one group visited a funeral parlour and spoke with employees about piety in dealing with the deceased. Another group researched former manufacturers of teaching materials as distributors of teaching materials from Human Remains. In the handout, the authors describe in detail the questions that the students dealt with, the developments that occurred during the course of the project and what needs to be considered when dealing with this topic. Finally, they discuss how this can be integrated into the curriculum.

"It's not about prescribing the one - supposedly correct - way of dealing with these collections, but about pointing out options for action and promoting an ethical discussion," explains Dr Antje Nagel, Director of the Museum of the University of Hamburg and initiator of the project together with Daniel Bein, Head of Operations at the Museum der Natur Hamburg. Project manager Lara Hemken adds: "Pupils can be involved in this important topic - but such a discussion requires time, freedom, trust and support from the teaching staff. The handout provides inspiration and important tips."

The "HUMANS" project is a collaboration between the University of Hamburg and the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), the Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Museum of Medical History at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf as well as the State Institute for Qualification and Quality Development in Schools (LI). It was supported for one year by the Ministry of Science, Research and Equality as part of the state innovation programme "Science for Society".

Even after the end of the project, the processing of human remains in schools is actively supported. "In addition to the handout, which is available free of charge on the LI website, interested teachers can obtain information on the topic from us at any time and receive advice on their own school projects," says Lars Janning, Head of the Natural Sciences Department at the LI. The LIB also offers an overview of this topic with its programme "Human remains in museum and school collections".

Download the handout directly