Ethical Issues

Archaeological sites are living museums and the

major repositories of the past. Administrators of archaeological sites have to make

decisions about the management of the site including:

1. Preservation2. Conservation3. Presentation

Consider who the history is for, and how should bear the responsibility.

Who preserves the past?

The cost of maintaining sites is huge and

becomes a major issue. Some major sites of international heritage are

located in developing nations which lack the resources to maintain the sites.

Is it the international communities responsibility to maintain ancient treasures?

Cost and Ethics

Temples of Abu Simbel were carved by the

builders of Rameses II out of the limestone cliffs over 3000 years ago.

Archaeologists, scientist and engineers worked to save the temples after water levels of the Nile rose.

Abu Simbel

The rescue operation took over 4 years and cost

40 million dollars, requiring a labour force of 3000 people.

Thousands of tons of rock were removed from behind the temples and the temples themselves were sawn into over 1000 blocks.

Temples were then reassembled onto a cement foundation out of reach of the rising waters.

The rescue of Abu Simbel is one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of the 20th century.

Abu Simbel

Human remains

Skeletons of ancient and indigenous people were normally acquired through the colonising activities of the European powers.

Former colonies have been demanding the return of their cultural property.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, excavation

of Aboriginal sites and research into Aboriginal culture was the undertaken by European Australians.

Little consideration was given to Aboriginal attitudes to excavation, or to the analysis and display of skeletal material in museums.

Sacred sites and burial sites were dug up and anything of interest was taken.

Aboriginal remains

Section 21 of the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984’ provides for the return of Aboriginal human remains to willing communities

Legislation

According to Egyptian burial

beliefs, once the mummy was sealed in its tomb it was to remain undisturbed for eternity as the disturbance of the dead threatened the deceased’s survival in the afterlife.

Education of the past vs. Ethics and wishes of the deceased.

Egyptian Mummies

Some mummies today are still in original linen

bandages and other have been unwrapped in order to display the technique of embalming.

Display cases have been filled with inert nitrogen to reproduce the conditions that existed in ancient tombs.

Visitors are restricted to 10 minutes viewing time.

Egyptian Mummies

Choose one of the following and outline the

collection of human remains and their return.

CROWTHER COLLECTION MURRAY BLACK COLLECTION

RESEARCH