Human skull removed from auction after outcry
The skull and a thigh bone were set to go under the hammer in Montrose next month.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An auction house has withdrawn a human skull and thigh bone from sale after history experts blasted it as “unethical”.
The ex-medical items are listed in the Militaria, Domestic & Rural Bygones sale at Taylor’s Auction Rooms in Montrose, Angus on May 5.
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland said it is “wrong to commodify people as objects” and asked Taylor’s to remove the items from the sale, and on Wednesday the auction house said the sale would no longer go ahead.
Jonathan Taylor, salesroom manager, said: “Although legal to sell, and being sold by auctions throughout the UK, the relevant lots have been withdrawn from the auction.”
Valued at £20 to £40, the skull was listed as “Human skull, ex-medical display complete with springs and hooks” while the human thigh bone, valued in the same range, was also described as “ex-medical display”.
Antiquarians were also objecting to the sale of a composite model of a human hip bone, also an ex-medical display, valued at £20 to £40.
Before the lots were removed, Dr Simon Gilmour, director of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, told the PA news agency: “It is not illegal in Scotland to buy or sell human remains that fall outwith the Human Tissue Act or the laws regarding sepulchre (burial), but we believe it is unethical.
“We support BABAO (British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology) in their statement on the issue. It is illegal to traffic living people, why would this change when someone dies?
“All human remains should be treated with dignity and respect, whether reburied or dealt with as per their personal wishes.”