The importance of documenting and studying human remains that come to light during archaeological research in Flanders is generally acknowledged today. Unlike some other countries, however, Flanders does not have clear legislation governing how these remains must be treated after excavation, nor does it have any ethical guidelines on the subject. Moreover, there is no overview of the skeletal remains currently in storage, nor of the standards used for storage, possible reburial or further research.
In order to fill this gap, MEMOR will develop both an overarching open access database and an ethical framework for action, specifically for human remains from archaeological research in Flanders, with the aim of increasing the scientific research potential of existing and future ensembles and to lay the foundations for a widely supported and correct ethical practice regarding the further handling of human material. MEMOR receives a subsidy for this from Onroerend Erfgoed Vlaanderen.
