The Sami remains held at the Biological Anthropology Collection are managed in accordance with a special agreement between the Sami Parliament and UiO. The Sami collection’s holdings are closed to the public.
The oldest human remains can be linked to the ancient Sami burial custom of burying the dead in scree graves. This is the longest lasting burial custom prevalent in Europe and was common practise from the 10th century BC and right up until the 17th and 18th century AD. The collection also contains Sami remains from Christian burial grounds dating from the 19th and early 20th century.
Most of the Sami remains were found in the following places
- 230 are registered as originating from (Lille) Årøya in Alta
- 165 are from South Varanger
- 129 from Nesseby
- 111 from Porsanger
- 109 from Kautokeino
The collection consists only of skeletal remains, primarily from adult individuals.
The Sami remains come from 110 different sites in Norway, the majority located in the region of Finnmark. Some are from the regions of Nordland and Troms.
The southernmost site lies in Mosjøen in Tydal in the region of South Trøndelag. 47 of the graves were located in Finland.
History of the Sami collection
The Sami remains were incorporated into the collection between 1853 and 1977, mostly during the period from 1913 to 1938. The reasons for collecting these remains have varied over time. The early part of this collection, stemming from the 19th to early 20th century, came about as a consequence of the racial research at that time, and many remains were taken from Christian Sami burial grounds for that purpose.
The remains were exhumed even though this practice met with great resistance amongst local residents and the wider Sami community. The Biological Anthropology Collectio and the Sami Parliament are strongly opposed to this practice. Since 1945, remains have for the most part been added to the collection as a result of archaeological investigations, for example in connection with building developments.
Management of the collection
Scientific research methods are under continued development and refinement improved and the remains held in this collection represent a large potential for widening our knowledge. Research on the remains can provide us with in-depth information about the age, health, living conditions, place of upbringing and diet of both individuals and whole communities.
However, research conducted on human remains requires complex ethical considerations and assessments, also taking into account the history of the collection of the remains. Such issues must be assessed in each individual case.
Some of the remains have been reinterred. The most extensive reburial - of 94 individuals - took place in Neiden in 2011. Even reburial raises complex ethical questions. The final decision on whether to reinter Sami remains or not rests with the Sami Parliament.
Other material
Archaeological grave goods derived from these graves are kept in university museums. Sami artefacts are primarily managed by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Museum in Trondheim and the Arctic University Museum of Norway in Tromsø.