In an online blog, Campbell Price, the curator of the museum’s Egyptian and Sudanese collections, says that Asru’s body was acquired in the early 1800s by Robert and William Garnett, the sons of a man who profited from slavery.
People can leave digital comments on the museum website or in a box next to Asru’s display case. A spokesperson for the museum said that the consultation will run until the end of August. “We haven’t made any firm decisions on next steps yet but intend to use the feedback to inform elements of our approach,“ they added.
The consultation comes amid growing debate in the museums and heritage sector over the care and display of human remains. Earlier this year an all-party parliamentary group of MPs called for the law to be changed to prohibit the display of any remains in museums “without appropriate consent”.
In response, a group of archaeological sector bodies warned that such an amendment could have “far-reaching and potentially unintended consequences” for the study, management, care, and public engagement with human remains in collections.
