Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan. Vol 7(1) 2021 Journal of Borneo-Kalimantan Osteological Assessment of a Seized Shipment of Modified Human Crania: Implications for Dayak Cultural Heritage Preservation and the Global Human Remains Trade Damien Huffer Honourary Adjunct Research Professor Carleton University, Department of History, 400 Patterson Hall, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada;
[email protected] Honourary Research Associate University of Queensland, School of Social Sciences, Michie Building #9, Level 2, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia;
[email protected] Antonio Guerreiro Senior Researcher Institut de Recherches sur l’Asie (IrASIA, UMR 7306, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
[email protected] Shawn Graham Professor Carleton University, Department of History, 400 Paterson Hall, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
[email protected] ABSTRACT The Royal Malaysian Customs Department seized 16 human skulls in 2005, which were acquisitioned by the Sarawak Museum (Jabatan Muzium Sarawak) in 2015. This paper analyzes the osteology of these skulls in terms of demographics, preservation condition, taphonomy, pathology, and post-mortem modifications. It then contextualizes the osteology of this collection in terms of the history and ethnography of Dayak ‘trophy skull’ modifications, and how such remains were modified for intended export and sale as part of the global human remains trade. In light of our osteological study, we find that peri- or post-mortem taphonomic modifications, and evidence of pathology and trauma are all relatively minimal. The diverse engraved motifs and other decorations found on these remains are not consistent with the historic Dayak ‘trophy skull’ trade.