122 NICOLA CARRARA - CINZIA SCAGGION Studying and exposing human remains: two cases from the Padua University Museum of Anthropology Nicola Carrara Cinzia Scaggion Museo di Antropologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Palazzo Cavalli, via G. Matteotti, 30. I-35137 Padova. E-mail: nicola.carrara@unipd.it, cinzia.scaggion@unipd.it Museografia MUSEOLOGIA SCIENTIFICA nuova serie • 10: 122-128 • 2016 ISSN 1123-265X ABSTRACT The theme of the study and on the exposure of human remains in museums is very topical and debated. It is a fruit of a greater attention to these particular museum specimens which present unique ethical problems. Within this debate, we want to bring the contribution of two cases occurred at the Padua University Museum of Anthropology. The first concerns the osteological human collections preserved, both those coming from archaeological excavations and the modern ones. A multi-disciplinary study for these collections has started with the aim of increasing the knowledge of these finds, providing a suitable key of presentation for future exposure. The second case linked to the Egyptian mummy wants to reflect on the importance of language in exhibiting thus particular finds: the choice of a complete and clear communication about the scientific investigations carried out on the specimen appears the best thing to do. Key words: human remains, studies, researches, exhibition, communication. RIASSUNTO Studiare ed esporre i resti umani: due casi dal Museo di Antropologia dell’Università di Padova. Il tema dello studio e dell’esposizione di resti umani nei musei è molto attuale e dibattuto. Esso è frutto di una maggiore attenzione per questi particolari beni museali che presentano delle problematiche etiche uniche. All’interno di questo dibattito, si vuole portare il contributo di due casi occorsi al Museo di Antropologia dell’Università di Padova. Il primo riguarda le collezioni osteologiche umane conservate, sia quelle provenienti da scavi archeologici che quelle moderne. Per queste collezioni si sta procedendo con uno studio multi-discipli- nare che negli auspici aumenterà le conoscenze di questi reperti, fornendo una chiave di presentazione adeguata per la futura esposizione. Il secondo caso legato alla mummia egizia vuole riflettere sull’importanza del linguaggio espositivo di reperti così particolari: la scelta di una comunicazione completa e chiara delle indagini scientifiche svolte sul reperto appare la via migliore da percorre. Parole chiave: resti umani, studio, ricerca, musealizzazione, comunicazione. INTRODUCTION Often the display of human remains, such as mummies, anatomical preparations and skeletal remains within temporary and/or permanent exhibition routes by science museums, rekindles the ideological debate that arises in similar circumstances: is it right to expose human remains in museums? Is it the presentation of results in archaeological-scientific researches or the profanation of deceased? Sometimes the exhibition of human remains can offend the sensibility of visitors because it can be considered, in some cases, disrespectful of customs and local traditions or, in other cases, of the single individual. Especially in Italy, the controversy is fuelled by the cultural and religious background which modeled the relationship with death based on the sacredness of the human body as gift of the divinity. Anyway, in the Catholic world itself there are some exceptions like the Catacombe dei Cappuccini in Palermo (South Italy), San Bernardino alle Ossa in Milan (North Italy) - with walls adorned by skulls - or the Convento dei Frati Minori Cappuccini in Rome (Central Italy) that shows monks’ bones utilized as architectonic decorations;