Bone Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human Prehistory in Museums

The book "Bone Rooms" explores the history of human remains collection and research in museums, focusing on the role of race and anthropology in shaping these practices. It sheds light on the scientific revolution that took place in the "bone rooms" of the Smithsonian and other museums, and how new ideas in anthropology displaced race as the primary motive for collecting human remains. The book also discusses the ethical considerations surrounding the collection and display of human remains and the growing movement to return objects of spiritual significance to native peoples.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 27 January 2023
Publisher: Harvard University Press

In 1864, a US Army doctor unearthed the remains of a Dakota man who had met his demise in Minnesota and sent the skeleton to a museum in Washington, D.C., where it was being collected for research purposes. Within the "bone rooms" of the Smithsonian Institution, a scientific revolution was taking place that would revolutionize our understanding of the human body, race, and prehistory. Driven by the quest for evidence to support emerging theories of racial classification, collectors embarked on a global race to gather the finest specimens of skeletons, mummies, and fossils. However, as the study of these discoveries debunked racial theory, new ideas emerging in the fledgling field of anthropology began to overshadow race as the primary motivation for constructing bone rooms.

Today, as a new generation seeks to learn about the indigenous past, there is growing momentum to return objects of spiritual significance to native peoples. "Bone Rooms" is a beautifully written and meticulously documented analysis of this little-known history. It explores how our museums evolved into vast repositories of human remains and sheds light on the shifting ideas about race, anatomy, anthropology, and archaeology that shaped this phenomenon. The book also helps explain the recent ethical standards for the collection and display of human remains, highlighting the complex and often contentious debates that have occurred within these institutions.

One of the key figures featured in "Bone Rooms" is Aleš Hrdlička, a Czech-American anthropologist who worked at the Smithsonian Institution. Hrdlička was a fierce advocate for the study of race and was known for his controversial views on the origins and evolution of human populations. He clashed with rival Franz Boas, a prominent American anthropologist who championed the idea of cultural relativism and opposed the notion of race as a biological category.

Redman effectively portrays the remarkable personalities behind these debates, providing a nuanced and engaging account of the nascent views of racial science that evolved in U.S. natural history, anthropological, and medical museums. The book also sheds light on the role that these institutions played in perpetuating stereotypes and prejudices about different racial and ethnic groups.

In conclusion, "Bone Rooms" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of museums, race, and anthropology. It offers a fascinating and insightful perspective on a little-known chapter of our shared human heritage and provides valuable insights into the complex and often contentious relationships between these fields.

Dimension: 210 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674278677