Concepts and methods in curatory of human skeletal collections

Abstract

Concepts and Methods in Curation of Human Osteological Collections. Brazilian scientific interest in human skeletal remains recovered in archaeological context dates back to the first half of the nineteenth century, although the formation of the first collections have started some decades later. Currently, at least nine Brazilian institutions of education and scientific research are responsible for safeguarding significant human skeletal collections, which have been systematically manipulated due to the remarkable development of Bioarchaeology in the country. Moreover, the expressive increase of archaeological investigations mainly from the 90s, certainly represents medium and long term formation of new collections and the demand for protocols capable of guiding actions towards the preservation of human remains. Therefore, this article discusses theoretical and methodological aspects, as well as practical guidelines appropriate to the reality of Brazilian collections, seeking help in the development and implementation of long-term curation projects of osteological collections.