Researchers found that mummified human and animal remains sold on social media often lack provenance and may carry toxic fungal growth.
Key facts
- •Researchers analyzed 128 public posts from social media, e-commerce platforms, and auction sites.
- •Only 24 of the 128 posts identified in the study originated from non-Meta platforms.
- •The items for sale included human body parts, shrunken heads, and six animal specimens.
- •Sellers frequently failed to provide provenance for the remains being sold.
- •Lead researcher Squires called for clearer shipping guidelines to address health and safety implications.
A study published in the International Journal of Cultural Property analyzed 128 online posts offering mummified human and animal remains for sale. Researchers found that most listings appeared on Meta platforms, with sellers frequently attempting to circumvent shipping laws and providing little to no documentation regarding the origin of the items.
By the numbers
Health and Safety Concerns
The study identified 13 Facebook posts featuring mummified remains with visible fungal colonization, including yellow, white, gray, black, and pink spots. Researchers warned that because such growth is not always visible to the naked eye, the risk of contamination may be more widespread than the photos suggest.
Market Practices and Legal Risks
Sellers often acknowledged legal restrictions by specifying regions where transfers are prohibited and frequently avoided declaring the contents of shipments to prevent seizure. The items offered were typically body parts, such as hands, feet, or heads, with only one seller offering a complete mummified body. Researchers noted that complete remains are rare and expensive, likely leading to private transactions rather than public social media posts.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Ars Technica.
