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Human Remains: Ethical Issues and Historical Perspectives

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Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology
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Introduction

Over the last few decades, there has been an increased acceptance of rights over cultural heritage within the field of archaeology, as alternative views are incorporated into research design and researchers relinquish sole custody of the archaeological record. However, this inclusion has brought about the intersection between vastly different opinions regarding the ethical treatment of the dead. What constitutes appropriate treatment of human remains varies from culture to culture, and the sensitivities surrounding their treatment often create ethical dilemmas and conflicts between stakeholders, which are less commonly found in other areas of archaeological study.

Definition

Ethics can be defined as a system of moral values that specify a particular code of conduct, often defining “right” and “wrong” (Goldstein and Kintigh 1990: 585; Mays 2010: 331, 347). However, as Goldstein and Kintigh state, ethical principles are “culturally constructed” and will vastly differ...

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Correspondence to Jayne-Leigh Thomas .

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Thomas, JL. (2020). Human Remains: Ethical Issues and Historical Perspectives. In: Smith, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30018-0_2850

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