Organisation: National Museums Scotland
Principal investigator: Matthew Knight
Investment Overview
The Scottish Archaeological Human Remains Collections (SAHRC) investment is a collaborative project, led by National Museums Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland, designed to provide ethical care for human remains from Scotland. The physical collection space is located at the National Museums Collection Centre, in Edinburgh, where around 600 Scottish archaeological sites are stored, representing nearly 3000 individuals from Scotland’s past. These include some of Scotland’s first inhabitants during the Mesolithic, through to the post-medieval period. The store is designed to enable the ethical curation of human remains for ongoing and future research. Further, it is a repository for human remains that would otherwise not enter museum collections.
By expanding storage capacity by 70%, supporting virtual accessibility and strengthening specialist expertise, this investment significantly enhances the stewardship of Scotland’s archaeological human remains collections. It enables greater research access and new insights into past populations, while ensuring the highest standards of ethical care. The collection is cared for by Scotland’s first Curator of Osteoarchaeology, funded by RICHeS; their role is to curate and care for the collection, as well as provide wider support and advice for the sector. Through dedicated leadership and sector-wide guidance, this investment builds capability by supporting museums across Scotland to manage and responsibly care for human remains.
Explore More
Visit the HSDS Catalogue of Services for information on services available to access.
You can keep up to date with this investment on the National Museums Scotland website.
