Human mummified remains sent by mail: Scientists warn of health risks
Scientists studied the risks of buying mummies (photo: Unsplash)
Ancient mummies may hide a danger that has nothing to do with religious beliefs or mysticism. Scientists warn that the growing trade in human remains poses real health risks to those who buy and transport them, according to The Guardian.
What does the “gray” market for human remains offer?
According to scientists, the semi-legal market for trading parts of ancient bodies has grown significantly in recent years, fueled by social media, e-commerce, and auctions.
At the same time, people involved in these transactions are often largely unaware of the potential risks to their health.
An analysis of 128 listings on Meta platforms, online marketplaces and auction sites found numerous cases of remains being sold with signs of biological deterioration.
Among the items identified, the most common were:
- Individual limbs, including hands and feet
- Mummified heads in various states of preservation — 51.6 percent of the entire sample
- Skulls with remnants of soft tissue or hair
- Tsantsas — so-called shrunken heads created by the Shuar people
Sellers provided no safety instructions and shipped the remains using ordinary postal services.
Toxic substances and dormant microorganisms
Artificial and natural mummification processes involve chemical treatment to slow decomposition. Heavy metals, including arsenic, mercury and lead, have historically been used to preserve tissue.
In addition, the remains may contain dormant microorganisms. During transportation or handling, fungal spores can become airborne.
Scientists point out that inhalation of Aspergillus fungal spores was reportedly linked to the deaths of 10 of the 12 scientists who opened the tomb of King Casimir IV in Kraków in the 1970s.
A similar infection may also have contributed to the death of Lord Carnarvon after the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1923.
Kirsty Squires, a professor of human bioarchaeology at Staffordshire University, said that traders are largely unaware of the dangers.
“We have observed mummified remains that are not in protective cases but exposed to the surrounding air, for example in a room in a residential building, which could be really dangerous,” the researcher said.
The scientist added that while preparing the study, they saw photographs of severely damaged remains without protective glass or temperature control.
Danger to postal workers
The study showed that the danger is not limited to buyers and sellers. Because courier and postal services are used to transport human remains, other people may also be exposed to potential risks.
According to the scientists, the logistics chain puts numerous professionals at risk.
“Given that postal and courier companies are being used to transport mummified human remains, warehouse workers, drivers, transportation hub workers and customs officials are all at risk as they are unlikely to wear the necessary [personal protective equipment] when they are initially in contact with these consignments,” the researchers concluded.
