[Archport] Prehistoric skeleton can stay in museum despite Druid anger

["Paulo Monteiro" <pmonteiro@ntasa.pt>]

Prehistoric skeleton can stay in museum despite Druid anger

Druids have lost a four year battle with English Heritage to rebury the skeleton of a three-year-old prehistoric child kept on display at a museum.  

Telegraph, 07 Apr 2010

The remains, known as "Charlie", were discovered at the Neolithic site of Windmill Hill, near Avenbury, Wiltshire by archaeologist Alexander Keiller in 1929.

The Council of British Druid Orders (Cobdo) called for the remains to be reburied for religious reasons.

 But after a lengthy consultation, English Heritage said the bones should remain at the Alexander Keiller Museum in Avebury.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed the decision. Naomi Phillips, head of public affairs, said: ''We applaud English Heritage's excellent report on their decision.

''The unshared beliefs of people with no more genetic claim over the human remains than anybody else in western Europe should never trump the enormous scientific, sociological, and educational benefit to the public that the historic human remains provide.

''Although this decision does not set a binding precedent, we are hopeful that it will help bodies such as English Heritage to reject any future such requests without such a lengthy and costly consultation period.''

Cobdo wanted the remains to be reburied out of respect for ancestors and said the educational aspects of the bones were not as important as their spiritual value.

The group, which unites various druid orders, believes in an ancient natural religion, linking people in the present day to ancestors and to the natural world.

However, English Heritage found that the benefits of having the bones in the museum far outweighed any harm.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7560815/Prehistoric-skeleton-can-stay-in-museum-despite-Druid-anger.html

 

 

 

PAULO ALEXANDRE MONTEIRO

 

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