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The global trade in mummified human remains poses a serious health risk to enthusiasts and postal workers due to dormant microorganisms and toxic preservation materials, according to a peer-reviewed academic study published in the International Journal of Cultural Property. The research, titled The Real Mummy’s Curse: Health Risks Associated With the Sale and Trade of Mummified Remains and published online by Cambridge University Press, reveals that an illicit and semi-clandestine market is expanding through social media, e-commerce platforms, web stores, and auction houses.
Health Hazards and Toxic Preservation Materials in the Trade
Mummified body parts harbor dormant microorganisms that can reactivate when disturbed, posing direct health hazards to anyone handling the remains, according to the study’s authors. Mummification processes rely on complex chemical treatments to delay decomposition, frequently utilizing toxic substances and heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead to preserve tissue. When mummified remains are moved or handled, dormant fungal spores can become airborne and threaten the living. Kirsty Squires, a professor of human bioarchaeology at the University of Staffordshire who co-authored the research alongside Dario Piombino-Mascali, Clara Urzì, and Damien Huffer, noted that traders display little awareness of these biological and chemical dangers. Squires pointed out that online sellers often display heavily deteriorated remains exposed to open air in domestic rooms rather than inside protective, temperature-controlled enclosures.
Historical Precedents: Fungal Spores and Historic Deaths
The danger of inhaling ancient spores is well-documented in archaeological history, most notably in the deaths linked to tomb openings during the twentieth century. The academic paper notes that the inhalation of Aspergillus spores caused the deaths of 10 out of 12 conservation scientists who opened the tomb of King Casimir IV of Kraków in modern-day Poland during the 1970s. Similarly, researchers believe a severe form of aspergillosis contracted from fungal spores contributed to the 1923 death of Lord Carnarvon, the chief financial backer of Howard Carter’s exploration of Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Carnarvon’s death fueled the enduring myth of the “mummy’s curse,” attributing bad luck or fatal illness to those who disturb ancient resting places.
Online Marketplaces and Postal Transport Dangers
An examination of 128 online listings across Meta platforms, e-commerce sites, web stores, and auction houses revealed numerous human body parts showing clear signs of biodeterioration being sold without safety instructions. Isolated body parts like hands and feet appeared most frequently in the sampled posts, followed closely by whole mummified heads. According to the study, 51.6% of the examined sample consisted of heads in various states of completeness, including whole or partial mummified heads, skulls or crania with soft tissue or hair, and tsantsas—shrunken heads produced by the Shuar people of northern Peru and eastern Ecuador. Because these items are routinely shipped through standard postal and courier companies, the authors warn that warehouse workers, delivery drivers, transportation hub staff, and customs officials face direct exposure risks while handling unsealed consignments without personal protective equipment.
Did you know? Over half of the human remains identified in the online market sample consisted of heads in varying states of preservation, including traditional shrunken heads known as tsantsas from northern Peru and eastern Ecuador.
Frequently Asked Questions
What health risks are associated with trading mummified human remains?
According to research published in the International Journal of Cultural Property, mummified remains can harbor dormant microorganisms and fungal spores that become airborne when disturbed. Additionally, historic preservation methods frequently employed toxic substances and heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead.
Who is most at risk from the trade in human body parts?
The academic study warns that online buyers, domestic collectors, postal and courier workers, warehouse staff, transportation drivers, and customs officials are all exposed to biological and chemical hazards when handling unsealed and unprotected remains.
What types of human remains appear most frequently on online platforms?
An analysis of 128 online sales posts found that isolated body parts such as hands and feet were frequently listed, while over half of the sample (51.6%) comprised heads in varying states of preservation, including whole mummified heads, skulls with soft tissue, and tsantsas.