"Human Remains" isn't specific enough

[Woodenwonder]

Last weekend had an impromptu wander around the world museum in Liverpool. (Fantastic and free). Anyway in the Egypt section it states that the next exhibit features human remains or words to that effect. I'm thinking a sarcophagus with a mummy inside. And yes that was there, a couple of examples of wrapped up mummies, tastefully and respectfully displayed. Turn the corner and there are 3+ corpses. Not wrapped up and obviously somewhat dessicated.

I'm not squeamish but I find looking at a collection of led out bodies (albeit 1000s of years old) a bit disrespectful for want of a better word. It made me feel really weird.

Yes these souls are long gone but I was not prepared to see them laid out in that way. I don't think I was even expecting full bodies.

Aibu to think the sign could have been a touch more descriptive before entering the room?

The museum is a fantastic place but I just felt a little rattled.

Who mentioned the words which you're quoting - I'll tell you - not a single soul 😆

Right?! That's why it felt a tad disrespectful as, in as much as they were very carefully displayed behind glass with muted light etc , they are still very much exposed for us to gawp at. Opened up the question how many years dead is acceptable for a human to be displayed in such a way? I mused on that whilst I was buying overpriced souvenirs in the gift shop

Ohhh indeed, I'll be swerving that one 😆

Yes it's overspill from another thread of snowflakes whinging about not having warnings. I seem to be reading more and more threads about delicate mumsnetters.

I literally said I wasn't squeamish in the OP so maybe read properly... 😀

These weren't skeletons they were dessicated people.

It was like human pepperami.

I feel like that was not what they had in mind for the afterlife, given that dignity and respect in the next realm was such a big deal to the ancient Egyptians.

Sorry hello miss, you're so right, I need to toughen up and seek out dead people to gawp at harumph

I’m just surprised that you were surprised. Have you never seen any exhibits or pictures of this kind of historical source before? All ancient Egyptian exhibits have this type of mummified body in them.

I don't believe I have, or not that I can remember. As I say I'm not squeamish but I did find myself feeling weirdly voyeuristic as I looked at these people's faces. I didn't see them as 'remains' though I realise that's what they are scientifically. So I would have liked more of a heads up that entering into room was going to bring us literally face to face with them, from head to toe. Given more info, I would have swerved that bit.

? Mummy is short for mummified. What you saw were mummified bodies. That is exactly what the ancient Egyptians (and other cultures) were going for when they paid to have themselves embalmed. They were not going for skeletal remains.

You're going to have to tell us exactly what warning they would need for it to be acceptable to you. Because your last post makes it read as if they need to say

"Warning: the next room contains human remains with faces!"

It was an Egyptian display with a warning! 93% of people currently think you're being unreasonable, so you might have to accept that this is a You Problem.

What’s a human pepperami meant to mean?? @Woodenwonder

For what it's worth OP I think you sound respectful and reasonable. Sorry it's turned into a bit of a pile on for you but no yanbu.

Thanks Cherry on, you're quite correct. I don't think they were going for being goggled at by the likes of us lot in Merseyside 1000's of years later...their death rituals were so important , it just felt intrusive.

I guess I would not really want to look at stuff like that TBH. It's not like it's disrespectful per se, I just find it gross. I like ancient ruins like Pompeii but don't want to see dead bodies thank you! I guess to make it more meaningful they could try and tell you a bit more about the people who's remains were being displayed. Not their actual names, lol, but what it was like for them in their culture and how old the person was (roughly) when they died etc.

I’ve been to Japan a couple of times but not sure I could deal the Hiroshima museum. Not because I’m squeamish but because it’s just so horrific and depressing. When I was younger dark tourism stuff was more appealing to me but now in my 40’d I’m not sure In can stomach it anymore.

Love Egyptian exhibitions and petrified remains / mummies are fine. It’s just places dedicated to tragic events that I won’t go to.

Thanks for being the first person to ask (albeit patronisingly)

I think I would have liked it to say "the next room contains a small number of entire human bodies" I think that's succinct.

That's exactly what I would expect with 'human remains', I thought you had the opposite and it was only a scrap of fabric or something. Mummies are mummies, I don't think of them when I hear 'humans remains'.

Oh dear, OP - you're getting short shrift here! I think human remains pretty much covers it, but I do empathise with your discomfort.

I felt more upset and voyeuristic than I had anticipated when I visited Pompeii and saw the casts. I'm an atheist and ex history teacher, so am very much for the value of this kind of museum display. However, we can't help but feel discomfited when the remains have visible features and we can more easily project our own lives and feelings onto theirs.

dehydrated flesh?

Oh it's to be expected on MN it always does 😆

But thank you for seeing my point, much appreciated 😊

In fairness I think they did do that next to the actual body.

Thank you, yes.

With respect, I think you are being a bit precious. You were led to expect human remains, and that is what you got. If all you were going to see was a sarcophagus and some bandages, there would have been no need for the warning; human remains clearly meant actual bodies or body parts.

They didn’t think they’d be on display, but it was most important to them that their corporeal body, or khet, be preserved because once it rotted, then their Sa or soul would lose all its memories, identity, and ability to be self aware in the afterlife. Destroying the body meant your soul in the afterlife would also be erased. A mindless ghost unable to communicate with your descendants or be judged by the Gods.

So, I think they’d be happy their khet was still perfectly preserved because that meant their soul was still going strong in the afterlife.

Many museums have withdrawn bodies from display, and are repatriating them, especially to indigenous communities from which they were originally stolen, and I think there’s absolutely an ethical dimension to exhibiting human remains, but I think that’s the case whether the bodies are shrouded or not.