All Collections


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Cape Town Documented Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town
  • Location: Cape Town, South Africa
  • Description: The collection is derived from dissection cadavers used by the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology between 1980 and 1996 and is of unknown size. Documentation includes sex, ancestry, and age.
  • Reference: Journal of Forensic Sciences article

Church of Santa Maria Ossuary Collection

  • Institution: Departamento de Biolgía Animal, Universidad Complutense
  • Location: Madrid, Spain
  • Description: Consists of individuals estimated to be from the 16th and 17th centuries from a secondary ossuary in the Church of Santa Maria, Wamba, Spain.
  • Reference: Forensic Science Communications

Coimbra Identified Skeletons Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, University of Coimbra
  • Location: Coimbra, Portugal
  • Description: Composed of 505 identified skeletons. Dates of birth range from 1826 to 1922, and dates of death range from 1904 to 1938. Ages at death range from 7 to 96 years. 498 of the 505 individuals were collected from the main cemetery in Coimbra, Portugal, while 7 are from dissected cadavers. Nearly all individuals are of Portuguese descent. Occupations and causes of death are available.
  • Reference: Journal of Forensic Sciences article and American Journal of Physical Anthropology article

Duckworth Laboratory Human Osteological Collection

  • Institution: Duckworth Laboratory, Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge
  • Location: Cambridge, England
  • Description: Contains around 17,000 specimens (skulls, individual skeletal elements, or complete skeletons) from Europe (over 5,300 specimens), Africa (over 8,900), the Americas (over 300), Asia (over 400), the Middle East (over 1,000), and Oceania (over 600). The European sample ranges from the Neolithic to the Medieval period, while the African sample consists of mostly Ancient Egyptian remains.
  • Reference: Duckworth Laboratory

George Huntington Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History
  • Location: Washington, DC, USA
  • Description: Comprised of over 3600 individuals with dates of death from 1892 to 1920. Age, sex, nationality, and cause of death are known. All individuals are either European immigrants or New York City residents. Many skeletons are incomplete due to their origin as dissection cadavers.
  • Reference: National Museum of Natural History

Hallstatt Ossuary Collection

Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection

  • Institution: Department of Physical Anthropology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History
  • Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
  • Description: Contains over 3000 skeletons. Documentation is unknown.
  • Reference: Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Hamilton County Forensic Center Donated Collection

  • Institution: Hamilton County Forensic Center
  • Location: Chattanooga, TN
  • Description: Mainly composed of donated completed skeletons along with some forensic cases. As of 2005 the collection contained 67 identified individuals.
  • Reference: Honors Thesis

J.C.B. Grant Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Description: Consists of 202 individuals who died and were received by the university between 1928 and the early 1950s. Most of the individuals are male and aged 40 years or older. Many were transients, migrant workers, or recent immigrants at time of death. All but one are of European ancestry. Demographic information consists of sex, age at death, and cause of death.
  • Reference: American Journal of Physical Anthropology article

Luís Lopes Collection (Lisbon Collection)

  • Institution: Department of Zoology and Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History (Bocage Museum)
  • Location: Lisbon, Portugal
  • Description: Consists of 1,692 identified skeletons from modern cemeteries in Lisbon, Portugal. Only 699 are currently documented and available for study. Demographic data available includes age at death, date and cause of death, place of birth, occupation, and place of residence. Dates of birth range from 1805 to 1972 and dates of death range from 1880 to 1975. 92 of the individuals are subadults, while the majority of the individuals were age 40 or older at time of death.
  • Reference: American Journal of Physical Anthropology article

Maxwell Museum Documented Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico
  • Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
  • Description: Contains 257 individuals as of February 2008, although only 207 of those individuals are positively identified. All but one of the individuals were residents of New Mexico. Ages at death range from fetal to over 80 years. The amount of documentation varies depending on the source of the remains, but typically includes age, sex, and ancestry.
  • Reference: Maxwell Museum and American Journal of Physical Anthropology article

Maxwell Museum Prehistoric Native American Collections

  • Institution: Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico
  • Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
  • Description: Contains a large number of prehistoric Native American remains collected from archaeological sites in New Mexico and surrounding areas. All the remains are registered in accordance with NAGPRA, and some repatriations have been completed. The majority of the currently housed remains were excavated before 1960.
  • Reference: Maxwell Museum

National Science Museum Osteological Collections

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, National Science Museum
  • Location: Tokyo, Japan
  • Description: This collection contains the skeletal remains of around 1800 individuals, including 220 from the Kofun Period (300-1200 AD), 120 from the medieval period (1200-1600 AD), and 1380 from the Edo Period (1603-1867 AD). Some of the remains are fragmentary or otherwise badly preserved.
  • Reference: National Science Museum

Pacific Island Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago
  • Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
  • Description: Houses pre-European contact skeletal remains of Moriori and North Island Maori individuals and archaeologically-derived skeletal remains from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Also houses casts of archaeological skeletal material from Fiji.
  • Reference: University of Otago and Homo - Journal of Comparative Human Biology article

Peabody Museum Osteological Collection

  • Institution: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University
  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • Description: Contains a large number of skeletal remains from around the world. Demographics are unknown.
  • Reference: Peabody Museum

Physical Anthropology Collection Archaeology Series

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History
  • Location: Washington, DC, USA
  • Description: Contains numerous skeletal remains recovered from archaeological excavations. The majority (45%) originates from North America while the remainder consists of remains from South America (20%), Asia (15%), Africa (10%), and Europe (5%).
  • Reference: National Museum of Natural History

Pretoria Bone Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Pretoria
  • Location: Pretoria, South Africa
  • Description: This collection is composed of the skeletal remains of individuals who died post 1942 whose bodies were either unclaimed or donated to the University of Pretoria. It contains 290 complete skeletons, 704 complete skulls, 989 incomplete skulls, 541 complete postcranials, and 418 incomplete postcranials. Individuals with both European and African ancestry are represented, and demographic information available includes age, sex, and population affinity.
  • Reference: University of Pretoria and Homo - Journal of Comparative Human Biology article

Provence Late Antiquity Collection

  • Institution: Centre Archéologique du Var
  • Location: Toulon, France
  • Description: Contains 91 individuals from the Late Antiquity period (4th century AD) from Provence, France.
  • Reference: International Journal of Anthropology article

Raymond A. Dart Collection of Human Skeletons

  • Institution: School of Anatomical Sciences, University of Witwatersrand
  • Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Description: Modern collection of South African individuals of both European and African ancestry. The total number of individuals and demographics of the collection are unknown.
  • Reference: University of Witwatersrand

Robert J. Terry Anatomical Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History
  • Location: Washington, DC, USA
  • Description: This collection consists of 1728 individuals (461 white males, 546 black males, 323 white females, 392 black females, 5 Asian males, and 1 individual of unknown origin) with dates of birth ranging from 1822 to 1943 and ages at death ranging from 16 to 102 years. Demographic information includes age, sex, ancestry, cause of death, and pathological conditions. Anthropometric measurements, cadaver photographs, dental charts, death masks, and hair samples are available for some individuals.
  • Reference: National Museum of Natural History

Roman Glass Urns Collection

  • Institution: National Museum of Denmark
  • Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Description: Consists of cremated skeletal remains from three Roman glass urns dated to 100 to 200 AD. Each urn is from a different archaeological site. One of the urns is estimated to contain the remains of a male aged 16-17 years old while another is estimated to house a 40+ year old female. The third urn is estimated to contain a male aged 50+ years old plus a possible second person.
  • Reference: International Journal of Anthropology article

São Martinho Church Collection

  • Institution: Unknown
  • Location: Leiria, Portugal
  • Description: Consists of 157 individuals excavated from the São Martinho Church churchyard dating to the late medieval period (1211-1553 AD). Contains both disarticulated skeletal material and remains from complete individual burials.
  • Reference: American Journal of Physical Anthropology article

Sassari Collection

  • Institution: Part of the Frassetto collections, Museum of Anthropology, University of Bologna, Italy
  • Location: Sardinia, Italy
  • Description: Contains complete skeletons from 606 individuals who died in the early 20th century and were buried in local cemeteries. Sex, age, and date of death are available for most individuals, and date of birth and occupation are available for many.
  • Reference: Journal of Forensic Sciences article

Scheuer Juvenile Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee
  • Location: Dundee, Scotland
  • Description: A collection of over 100 juvenile skeletal remains from archaeological, anatomical, and forensic sources. Not all skeletons are complete or fully documented.
  • Reference: Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification

Spitalfields Coffin Plate Collection

St. Barnabas Church Documented Collection

  • Institution: Unknown
  • Location: London, England
  • Description: Contains the skeletal remains of 18th and 19th century British individuals excavated from the crypt of St. Barnabas Church.
  • Reference: International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

St. Bride's Church Documented Collection

  • Institution: St. Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London
  • Location: London, England
  • Description: Collection of 18th and 19th century skeletons from the crypt at St. Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London. Contains 244 identified sets of remains. Documentation comes from original coffin plates which listed ages and sexes. Ages at death range from 3 days to 91 years. One adult individual has no known age at death. 14 of the individuals are juveniles with ages at death ranging from 3 days to 17 years.
  • Reference: American Journal of Physical Anthropology article

Stanford Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, University of Iowa
  • Location: Iowa City, Iowa, USA
  • Description: This collection is composed of around 1100 individuals that originally served as cadavers for anatomy classes at Stanford University Medical School. Birth dates range from the mid to late 1800s.
  • Reference: NSF award abstract

Szeged Historical Anthropological Collection

  • Institution: University of Szeged
  • Location: Szeged, Hungary
  • Description: 16,000 piece collection of skeletal remains from historic European sites.
  • Reference: Acta Biologica Szegediensis article

University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection

  • Institution: Department of Animal and Human Physiology, University of Athens
  • Location: Athens, Greece
  • Description: Contains 225 modern skeletons from the mid to late 20th century from cemeteries around Athens, Greece. Documentation is available for almost all individuals and includes age, sex, occupation, and cause of death.
  • Reference: HOMO Journal of Comparative Human Biology article

W. Montague Cobb Human Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Howard University
  • Location: Washington, DC, USA
  • Description: Consists of approximately 700 individuals of mainly African ancestry living from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.
  • Reference: Howard University

Wendorf Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, British Museum
  • Location: London, England
  • Description: This collection houses skeletal remains excavated from five archaeological sites in Egypt and Sudan. Information available for each individual includes context, sex, age, stature, preservation, and pathological conditions.
  • Reference: British Museum

William F. McCormick Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
  • Description: Composed of over 900 specimens from known individuals gathered from East Tennessee Medical Examiner autopsies. The majority of the specimens are either hyoids, clavicles, or portions of crania with gunshot wounds.
  • Reference: UTK Forensic Anthropology Center

William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
  • Description: Contains around 900 adult individuals along with some infant and fetal remains and cremains. Demographic data is available for most individuals and includes age, sex, ancestry, cause of death, and body mass.
  • Reference: UTK Forensic Anthropology Center

William M. Bass Forensic Skeletal Collection

  • Institution: Department of Anthropology, The University of Tennessee
  • Location: Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
  • Description: Consists of skeletal remains from over 100 forensic cases from the 1970s to the present. Contains examples of a variety of types of trauma.
  • Reference: UTK Forensic Anthropology Center

Suggestions, corrections, and additions to the list are greatly appreciated. Please contact the webmaster if you have any.

Title photo taken by Georges Jansoone. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License.