Musealización de Restos ÓseosPuesta en Valor de los Cráneos de la Primera Cátedra de Anatomía de la Colección Olóriz

Abstract

The exhibition of osseous remains is considered by archaeologist and museum curators as something completely different from cultural materials. Thus, bones are studied in the field of natural sciences while cultural elements are associated to social and humanity sciences. It is absolutely essential start considering osseous remains as heritage assets in order to make them able to be exhibited. Federico Oloriz y Aguilera is considered one of the leading figures for the understanding of the relationship between anatomy and anthropology in Spain. His crania collection, approximately 1900 crania, it is, both due to its number of items as to its relevance, one of the oldest and most important collections for study and research in the field of anatomy. Throughout this communication, we will set out a museological preservation purpose that enhance the crania from the ancient First Anatomy Professorship of Universidad Complutense of Madrid. With this aim in mind, we will propound the creation of a mixture space that combines the advantage of both an interpretative centre as a visiting storage. Inside this space, there will be exhibited the crania that fulfil the three exhibition criteria that we propose: its major scientific importance, its pedagogic relevance and its optimal preservation state. All of this will be accomplish thanks to technical criteria that will allow for making the collection accessible, understandable and sustainable.