ISSUES RELATING TO THE CUSTODIANSHIP AND OWNERSHIP OF THE ICEMAN AND ETHICS INVOLVED IN DISPLAYING HIS HUMAN REMAINS

There are issues relating to the custodianship and ownership of the iceman. The question everyone has asked was , who exactly owns the iceman?

As the iceman was found between Italy and Austria, both countries have battled it out to see who owns the Iceman. Their bitter fight revolved around the custody of the Iceman, it was not until authorities had confirmed that the Iceman was indeed found in Italy that the battle was settled. This meant that the Italian republic could now claim the Iceman, exhibiting him in their museum for all to see whilst also gaining financially.

Many had still wondered of the Iceman’s descent and where he grew up and came from .Dr Wolfgang Mueller from the Australian national university in Canberra was able to shed light on the Iceman’s history. From studying the mineral composition of the Iceman’s dental enamel and one leg bone and comparing this analysis to isotopes Dr Mueller was able to gather information that the Iceman came from the Eisack Valley situated in the South part of Italy.

There are different views and perceptions on the ethics involved when displaying human remains, in this case the Iceman’s. There is much dispute about displaying human remains. Although ethically it is not right to be displaying human remains in a museum as breaches it beliefs and privacy.Some would argue that displaying the Iceman’s remains for all to see is extremely uncalled for as remains of the dead should not be for all eyes to see. However others would argue that by displaying and preserving the Iceman scientist are able to find out more about his life, knowing what he ate, the tools he made, how he lived and how he died. Humans remains of the Iceman can give the general public a greater idea of what he look like up close and personal as they are able to physically see the Iceman first hand through his museum.