The Biological Anthropology Collection at the University of Oslo, formerly known as the Schreiner Collection, comprises archaeological and historical human skeletal remains is managed by the Division of Anatomy at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo.
The collection was created in 1828 and is among the largest archeological collections in Europe, with around 8,000 catalogue entries relating to human remains. It includes remains dating from the Stone Age until the 19th century, the oldest specimens being nearly 4,600 years old.
Today, none of the remains can be traced to named individuals. The majority of remains are Medieval and to a lesser extent dated to the Iron Age. Most of the material was found in Norway.
The collection contains human osteological remains. The degree of complete skeletal preservation varies, from intact to (substantially) fragmented. Most remains are partially preserved skeletons.
The scientific value of the collection
The collection has substantial scientific value because the skeletal composition and contextual information can provide valuable information about human life and living conditions at a particular time and place in history.
Physical examination of skeletal remains can provide information about physique, injuries and diseases, while various molecular analyses can bring to light environmental factors and genetic kinship that can reveal valuable information about historical migrations, settlements, living conditions and health.
In 2000, a working committee authored a report entitled “Evaluation of the scientific value of the Schreiner Collection” (in Norwegian).
The library
The Biological Anthropology Collection includes an extensive archive of letters, the oldest of which date back to the 1870s. In addition, the collection includes an anthropological library comprising nearly complete series of rare books and a collection of over 3,000 special editions. The collection further maintains a large archive of photographs, X-ray images, letters, books, index cards and handwritten catalogues.
Closed to the public
The collection is closed to the public but access can be granted to students, scientists and exhibition curators in connection with research, public administration tasks or for other professionally justified reasons.