The Digital Library of British Mortuary Science & Investigation

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

"The Coffin was full of pickle...pungent...resembling a strong solution of nitre...I have his Beard wch the Archdeacon gave me leave to take". Duke Humphrey's coffin 'pickle' at St Albans Abbey was one of many 'ancient' church tombs opened in the 18th century for an early type of 'forensic study' and 'dark tourism'. Some decried it as disrespectful; others saw a new (Protestant) science of 'archaeology' emerging. Medieval saints' and royal remains had also received similar 'forensic' study long before the Reformation. So, when did study of the long-dead emerge? How has it shaped modern science, history, archaeology, and Church heritage? Tomb opening today is rare and 'respectful' and burial inside churches largely ended in the 1850s. But the 2013 reburial of Richard III threatened more tomb openings around Europe, reigniting volatile, unresolved debates: what rights do the historic dead have? Do new tests justify invasive studies? What constitutes 'respectful' if it has been defined in different ways at different times in the past? And how can we link the history of Christian belief in Britain with modern funerals for reburying ancient human remains in churches? These questions are vital for shaping public policies and codes of practice in historic churches today. Unlike the return of human remains to their indigenous homelands, debates surrounding the excavation and reburial of the Christian dead has not yet received dedicated, large-scale attention, yet requests to find and investigate famous graves surged after Richard III's discovery. Rescue archaeology inevitably uncovers the dead from ancient Christian contexts as well; how can we ensure that handling, storing, and reburying them aligns with past beliefs?To assist Church policymakers, archaeologists, and researchers, a digital library of Historic British Mortuary Science & Investigation is proposed. This would outline the first history of pre-20th century burial, scientific history and archaeology and offer the first survey of current and historic investigations of the church dead in Britain since records began in c.7th century AD. It would provide advocates and policymakers much-needed evidence to inform their strategies and responses at local and national levels. Cutting-edge digital analysis of the language used to report past mortuary investigations and reburials can reveal what has historically been considered 'respectful treatment', offering context and advice for how we 'respectfully' conduct and record such disturbances today. This new knowledge can anchor ethical, procedural, and religious debates in their historic contexts; advance histories of science, medicine, religion, law and death; and guide practices and policies from academic, Church, and heritage sectors as custodians of our inherited dead. Alongside the digital library, a cross-sector network called 'The Human: Remains Collaboratory' will be established, bringing together academics and non-academics, advisory networks, charities, and professional services involved in managing historic human remains from churches. Members will be able to share research, identify points of collaboration; support new and on-going research in this area; and work with the project team. Through international partnerships with other scholars and stakeholders, the library will share this world-leading model and data beyond the UK and later include non-Church examples for comparison. The library thus provides the foundation from which Britain can lead a new generation of scholars on this topic; promote further interdisciplinary research within and beyond the UK; establish a dedicated line of research in collaboration with churches, museums, libraries, archives, historic cemeteries (etc.); and generate ground-breaking research. My aim is to eventually create a Centre for Historic Mortuary Management and Investigation to continue this vital research and respond to modern concerns as they evolve.