A Northern Ireland auction house, On The Square Emporium, is facing significant criticism from anthropologists and academics for listing 3,000-year-old human remains for sale. The Bangor-based business is currently offering an ancient Egyptian mummy head and a Dayak tribal trophy skull from Borneo, Indonesia.
Justin Lowry, the owner of the auction house, defended the practice by framing the items as inanimate objects rather than religious artifacts. He stated that collectors find aesthetic value in these pieces and argued that restricting access to them would be elitist. According to Lowry, the Egyptian head has already been purchased by a local buyer and will be transferred to a private collection after a period of public exhibition.
Critics remain unconvinced. Dr. Trish Biers, representing the British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarcheology, emphasized that these remains belonged to human beings, regardless of their age or the legality of the sale. She highlighted concerns regarding the unethical historical origins of such items, which were often acquired through violence or exploitation. Labor MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has also called for government legislation to prohibit the commercial trade of human remains in the UK, describing the practice as a macabre industry.
