32 points | by classichasclass3 days ago
I still get the heebie-jeebies thinking about it.
We're not quite sure what to do with it now. I'd like to give it a respectful burial, without causing a police response.
Unfortunately that's not an option.
A respectful burial means contacting the authorities so that the remains can be properly identified, and their final disposition noted in the public record. Remember this was once a human being, likely with many relations, however far back. The remains could be of someone entirely forgotten, but could be the missing link in some family's long and painfully sad story, also.
Meanwhile, the tail risk of getting into some kind of trouble for attempting to sidestep this necessary process is quite considerable.
So there's really only one course of action available to your father's heirs. Since there's also a small but considerable chance of being hit with some kind of charge (even if you do contact the authorities in perfectly good faith, and presuming of course that no hanky panky was involved in acquiring the skeleton on the first place), the first step will be to contact a criminal defense lawyer.
Quite some inheritance you were left with, there.
See also: https://www.npr.org/2024/10/25/nx-s1-5165150/skull-found-hou...
Once that happens, you have no control over their response.
That said, I absolutely recall seeing a documentary, in modern day, showing people's bodies used in science exhibits to this day. Their point was that while people had voluntarily donated their body to science, they were mostly unaware that this type of display was something that might happen.
Kind of buried the lede there.
> He and Hatem believe The Bluebird’s skeleton could be that of a woman, based on its small stature and broad hips. Benkert said a historian he consulted in 2017 guessed the skeleton may have been a young man, possibly from India.
Given the timing, India or the dead body of an unclaimed indigent were my first guesses.
And before somebody cries foul; education is very important, and real bodies were once the only source of durable anatomically correct teaching skeletons.
I wonder if you could teach history by emphasizing "surprises for the time traveler"?
I read it years ago, but remember really enjoying it.
this is supposedly from the formaldehyde
A quick search results in "allograft bone."
In some contexts, this is forbidden, unorthodox, or expected.
International treaty, all skeletons come from India. [0]
At least this is what was claimed in The Return of the Living Dead.
Edit: Ah I see, it’s because Indian skeletons were frequently sold as educational tools.
WARNING: This sort of policy varies by municipality. If you'd prefer to minimize unpleasant interactions with your local law enforcement, do not make assumptions.
https://www.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/think...