The Human Remains: A Digital Library of British Mortuary Science and Investigation

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To assist Church policymakers, archaeologists, and researchers, a digital library of Historic British Mortuary Science & Investigation has been built in the first 3 years of this fellowship. It offers the first survey of current and historic investigations of the church dead in Britain since records began in c.7th century AD until the 19th century. It provides advocates and policymakers much-needed evidence to inform their strategies and responses to managing historic burials in Christian contexts 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' which 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. In the renewal period of the fellowship, the Digital Library will be expanded to include archaeologically excavated evidence of historic burial management decisions (empty or truncated graves, charnel deposits, clustering, re-opened graves etc.) for comparison alongside the historical records from 7th-19th centuries. It will use advanced spatial information systems to understand both the tangible practices of burial management alongside the intangible emotional and sensory spaces these remains created inside churches and cathedrals. This will create predictive trends to help modern burial management inside church buildings. The digital analysis of the language of library texts will also expand from focussing on 'respect' to include the 'value' of human remains, especially those with are partial, cremated, disarticulated, and fleshed. This will offer greater nuance in how we 'respectfully' conduct and record such disturbances today and offer vital discussion points for modern archaeologists, burial managers, and policymakers at fellowship workshops. Alongside the digital library, a cross-sector network called 'The Human Remains Collaboratory' continues to bring together academics and non-academics, advisory networks, charities, and professional services involved in managing historic human remains from churches. They provide user feedback on the Digital Library and identify points of collaboration and strategic funding bids; and co-author case studies, recommendations, training materials, and research resources for all those involved in managing historic human remains in Christian contexts. Through international partnerships with other church archaeologists and public-facing academic projects, the library will share this world-leading model and data beyond the UK with a vision for a global network and resource of peer-to-peer training, advice, best practice, case studies, and collaboration with churches, museums, libraries, archives, historic cemeteries (etc.) to navigate perceptions, practices, and policies surrounding human remains and burial management in Christian contexts.