Assessing Violence in a Museum Collection of Human Remains

Abstract

This study explores how violence has influenced the acquisition of human remains for museum collections. A total of n =365 individuals with detailed documentation curated at the Department of Anthropology, Natural History Museum Vienna (DA-NHMW) are analysed to detect and utilize specific patterns, also with the aim to make predictions about the context of violence they were acquired from. This is done by comparing historical records with skeletal markers to identify patterns linking violence in historical and osteological data. The presented research enhances the ability of the bioarchaeological community to identify violence in museum collections, especially those from countries with limited colonial activity, such as Austria. The findings will also inform ethical guidelines for museum practice at the DA-NHMW and assist curators in recognizing questionable contexts when curating human remains. Ultimately, this work will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of violence in museum collections and support ethical stewardship.