Lot 206: Human remains in the British art and antiquities trade

Dr. Caroline Bennett - Assistant Professor in Anthropology and International Development, University of Sussex, UK

In October 2024, an auction house in Oxford, UK, listed several lots of human remains for sale. Listed alongside movie props, ethnic art and artefacts, collections of taxidermy and fossils, and paintings and posters, the remains formed part of “The Curious Collector Sale”. With the majority appearing to be from colonial-era collections, the remains had previously been owned by collectors including the late Playboy owner Hugh Hefner, and Billy Jamieson, a notorious Canadian antique dealer and self-styled “headhunter”.

Condemnation of the sale was widespread, especially from indigenous groups whose ancestors’ remains were part of the sale, leading the auction house to remove the listings after two days. However, this sale was not unique. Human remains circulate freely in the art and antiquities markets in the UK, in private sales, auctions, and online markets on platforms including Instagram and Facebook. This is because, in the UK, while legislation exists to protect human remains in museums, medicine, and education, no legislation restricts or regulates the private market. Although discussion has begun on creating such rules, it is still in its early stages, and is dominated by osteoarchaeological voices.

This seminar will consider this market in human remains, considering the ambiguities that make governing it a tricky question, and what it tells us about ongoing coloniality in the UK.

Caroline Bennett is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and International Development at the University of Sussex. She’s excited to be back in Aotearoa and looks forward to seeing you all.

This seminar will be held 'in-person' only.