Project launched to research the origin of historical anthropological skull collections at the SPK
Press release from 10/05/2017
As part of a pilot project, the SPK has been researching the provenance of around a thousand human skulls from the former colony of German East Africa, which was located on the territory of the present-day countries of Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Mozambique, since the beginning of October. The project is based at the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of the National Museums in Berlin and is funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.
The skulls are part of the anthropological collection that the SPK took over from the Charité in 2011 in an extremely poor condition. In recent years, they were initially cleaned and conserved at great expense. In order to clarify their origin, the scientists responsible have set up a research database and carried out initial research in foreign archives.
The two-year project to process the holdings from former German East Africa is also intended to serve as a model for future research into the provenance of the other human remains in the care of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History. To this end, the sources for the collection, which are scattered around the world, must be recorded and analysed. Scientists from various disciplines will work together on the project, as knowledge of ethnology, anthropology and colonial history is required. The aim is also to establish an international network with scientists from the countries of origin concerned (Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda) in order to ensure appropriate research. The decision on restitution depends on the results of the research.
As the primary documentation (inventory book, card catalogue, acquisition correspondence relating to the collection) of the anthropological collections managed by the Museum of Prehistory and Early History no longer exists for the most part, numerous other sources must be consulted in order to research them. Relevant, for example, are records of collectors, some of which are in public archives, others in private ownership in Germany and abroad. Because collecting activities were often embedded in a colonial infrastructure, records from economic, military or ecclesiastical institutions are also of interest. Supplementary (non-invasive) anthropological examinations of the objects themselves can also provide important insights into their origin and acquisition.
The SPK's handling of human remains is based on the guidelines of the German Museums Association and the SPK's own basic positions developed for this purpose. These state that provenance research comes before any other research.
The Gerda Henkel Foundation was established in June 1976 as a charitable foundation under private law. The exclusive purpose of the foundation is the promotion of science, primarily in the field of the humanities. To date, it has supported more than 6,600 research projects worldwide with around 160 million euros. Since 2015, the foundation's "Patrimonies" funding priority has increasingly focussed on the preservation of cultural heritage, particularly in crisis regions.