Entering from the back door: reproductions of archaeological human remains as an issue-different solution to ethical challenges

Western archaeology (and cultural-heritage-related disciplines) and reproductions have a long-standing relationship. As often happens with lasting liaison, this encompasses periods of both positive and negative reception, related to the issue of authenticity and to the state of reproductions as objects in themselves. Surprisingly, this debate never seemed to explicitly include reproductions of human remains, though substituting original human remains on display with replicas is a solution praised by many and is traditionally perceived as ‘ethically issue-free’. In this paper, I investigate what happens when applying existing debates on reproductions to human remains while also analysing new ethical issues professionals encounter when settling for this solution. What position do replicas of human remains occupy in the spectrum of ‘objects of science-lived lives’? Where do they stand, in the push towards Open Access? How do we address the need for originals? Are replicas free of the colonial burden that permeates some human remains?