Danger from mummified human remains in online trading

The trade in mummified human remains is increasing worldwide. Private collectors also buy or sell the rare, preserved bodies online.

However, it often goes unnoticed that the mummified remains are dangerous for people who come into contact with the corpses. Researchers recently published an article on this in the specialist magazine “International Journal of Cultural Property”.

For the study, the research team evaluated 128 online offers. It showed that the sellers did not note any safety instructions regarding the decomposition of the human remains.

“Isolated body parts such as hands and feet were most commonly found, followed by entire mummified heads,” the authors write in the study. “Over half of the sample (51.6 percent) consisted of heads in various states of preservation, including whole or partially mummified heads, skulls with soft tissue or hair, and tsantsas, so-called shrunken heads of the Shuar people of northern Peru/eastern Ecuador.”

“Some of the images uploaded show mummified remains that are not in protective containers but are exposed to the ambient air, for example in a room in an apartment, which could be really dangerous,” Kirsty Squires was quoted as saying by the British Guardian, which first reported the story.

He continued: "We also came across images of severely decomposed remains simply lying on a stand without a glass cover. It did not appear that the temperature had been controlled and the appropriate storage conditions required for human remains had been maintained."

The problem: Even after centuries, mummified body parts can contain microorganisms. If they are moved, fungal spores can get into the air and be inhaled. Spores of the mold Aspergillus can be particularly dangerous.

When the tomb of Casimir IV was opened in Krakow, Poland, ten of the twelve restoration scientists involved died in the 1970s - possibly as a result of an Aspergillus infection. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath and chest pain.

In addition, there are toxic substances that were previously used for preservation. These include heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury and lead. It's not just buyers and sellers who are at risk. Employees of parcel services, in warehouses, at transport centers and at customs can also come into contact with the remains - often without suitable protective clothing.