Bioarchaeology and Heritage Lab

The Anthropology Teaching Collection Curation Project (ATCCP) is inspired by the ongoing efforts at peer institutions to reckon with the dubious origins of human remains and other teaching materials in collections. Unconsented remains exist in countless North American institutions, many of them as a result of graverobbing and predatory legislation. In recent years, institutions have begun to conduct inventories and reevaluate the futures of their osteology teaching collections, framing the work as both a mode of research transparency and as an ethical imperative. In this vein, the ATCCP aims to: conduct an inventory of the Anthropology Teaching Collection; establish standards for curation and teaching; trace origins/provenience for each individual element in the collection; form collaborations with peer institutions; and develop formal recommendations for future curation practices. The project also aims to provide hands-on experience to BU Anthropology students and facilitate independent research opportunities.