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A Glasgow-based auction house, established by television presenter Anita Manning, recently faced criticism for listing human remains for sale. The items included bones and a skull, which were set to be auctioned but were subsequently withdrawn after BBC Scotland News raised concerns. Experts have condemned the sale as “unethical and unacceptable in any form,” suggesting that such remains often originate from countries like India or China and have historically been exported for educational use.
The collection, estimated to be worth between £500 and £800, was reportedly contained in a box labeled as belonging to an anatomy class at the University of Glasgow. While the sale or auction of human remains is not illegal in the UK provided they were obtained lawfully and are not intended for transplantation, there are widespread ethical worries. Many of these remains used in medical teaching are believed to lack the genuine consent of the deceased, primarily because they were sourced internationally.
Dr Lauren McIntyre, a representative of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology, described the auction as unacceptable. She emphasized that trading in human remains for profit disrespects the dignity of those who have passed away. Dr McIntyre further highlighted that much of the 20th-century trade of medical specimens involved mass exports from India and China, often without consent. Notably, India banned the export of human skeletons in 1985 amid concerns about grave robbing and criminal activity, but evidence suggests the trade persists. Similarly, China imposed a ban on such exports in 2008, indicating that many remains for sale could be relatively recent.
Professor Gordon Findlater, who oversees the licensing and regulation of anatomical services in the UK, weighed in on the situation. He proposed several scenarios explaining how the bones might have ended up in the auction, such as a student borrowing and not returning the specimens or a family donating remains previously owned by a medical professional. Without knowledge of the seller, he noted, it is impossible to determine the item’s history. He also pointed out that if these bones were from a donated body, selling them would violate the current Scottish Code of Practice for Anatomical Examination, which forbids profiting financially from donated human bodies.
Journalist Patrick Pester, who has extensively covered the subject, described such auctions as merely “the tip of a grisly iceberg.” He called for a national discussion on the commercial sale of human remains, remarking that the public is largely unaware of the ability to purchase human remains through auction houses and social media. Pester explained that while some auction houses list such items, most of the trade occurs online, facilitated by social platforms. He noted that buyers’ motivations vary widely, ranging from an interest in Gothic aesthetics to medical history, evolutionary study, or ritualistic purposes. While not condemning collectors outright, Pester stressed the need for tighter regulations, likening the current market to the “Wild West.”
Following the media inquiry, Great Western Auctions confirmed the immediate withdrawal of the lot. Founded in 1989 by Anita Manning and her daughter Larissa, the company is situated on Dumbarton Road and helped establish Manning as one of Scotland’s pioneering female auctioneers. Manning has also gained prominence through television work on shows like Bargain Hunt and Flog It!.
It is important to note that the Human Tissue Act in the UK restricts commercial dealings of human tissue primarily related to medical transplantation, rather than sales of remains as artifacts. Additionally, the legislation focuses on tissue under 100 years old, meaning many historical remains remain outside its scope
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