APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION TO SAMPLE HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS
Museum of London, Centre for Human Bioarchaeology
Applicant surname: ………………..………..
First name(s)…………………………..
Title……
Affiliated institution: …………………..………………………….……………………………..
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Telephone No ……………………
E-mail……………………………
Supervisor/Referee…………………………………………………………………
Proposed date(s) for access: ……………………………………………………………..
Is this application part of a grant submission?
Yes 
No 
Site name and code(s) of the skeletal material requested
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Bone description/tooth and size (and/or weight) of sample required (e.g. 1st mandibular molar,
0.5g)…………………………….. …………………….…………………….…………………….
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Please provide reasons why this number of samples is required
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Description of research proposal: include details of the project, its justification, methodology
and your experience in undertaking such work (please continue on a separate sheet if necessary)
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Where will the samples be analysed? If they are being sent abroad, please provide an
explanation why.
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Contact information for the laboratory/institution
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Please explain why your research must be undertaken on Museum of London collections?
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Please state how your research application relates to the Museum’s research strategy document
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Please justify why non-destructive methods cannot be used to answer your research question/s?
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How will your research be presented and what is the predicted timescale for this? (e.g.
dissertation, thesis, conference paper, publication)
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I have read and agree to the CONDITIONS and REGULATIONS overleaf
Signed: ……………………………………………………………………………………
Date: ……………………………………………………………………………………
Sampling of skeletal remains – policy and procedure
Application process
In the case of all applications for research that involves the museum collections, the Centre for
Human Bioarchaeology will, in the first instance, decide the merits of all applications, as
outlined in the MoL policy document. Applications to MOL Archaeology will be addressed by
the Head of Osteology and Senior Post-excavation Manager, in the first instance. Staff may also
seek internal or external advice on any application.
Any application for research that requires the destructive sampling of human remains, or the
removal of intact skeletal elements from the Museum premises, must go before the Human
Remains Committee before a final decision is made. Any application which involves research on
a collection held by MOL Archaeology and which has not been formally deposited in the
archive must also be passed by the relevant Contract Manager and/or Senior Consultant.
At the earliest stage possible (and in addition to the usual requirements for research applications)
any researcher wishing to take samples for destructive analyses, or to otherwise be removed
from the Museum premises, must provide a comprehensive list of material to be sampled. This
must include site code, context number, element and size of sample required.
Research designs should be drawn up in such as way as to make best use of any samples taken,
for example the targeting of samples to allow more than one type of analysis or more than one
project to be served by the same sample. When drawing up final research designs the applicant
should consider costs they will incur from bench fees, photography, printing and
postage/transport of material for return.
Limitations and grounds for refusal
Destructive sampling will not normally be considered for neonatal remains or pathological
elements. Sampling from individuals with significant pathological conditions, named individuals
and those of great archaeological significance will rarely be permitted, and then only if the
research proposal can be shown to adequately justify the use of this specific material.
As a general rule, only one tooth and/or one bone sample in total will be permitted per
skeleton.
Applications may be refused if:
 If the applicant has previously contravened MoL requirements
 If previous studies have not been published, or a copy of the results and a summary
report has not been deposited with the Museum
 The proposal is not considered clear or novel enough (see MoL Policy and research
framework)
 If the proposal does not accord with the research framework
 Another researcher has undertaken very similar work
 The material requested is considered too sensitive for sampling
 The individual requested is rare or unique in date, provenance or burial context
 The individual requested is very poorly preserved or few skeletal elements are present
 The material requested has not been fully recorded onto the Museum Oracle database
 The material requested has previously been sampled by external researchers or in house,
including for C14 dating
 The ethical considerations outweigh the value of any results generated
The Museum reserves the right to require changes to the specific material requested and may
suggest the use of alternative individuals.
All successful applicants must fill out the required sampling forms and provide copies for the
Centre for Human Bioarchaeology/MOL Archaeology and LAARC archive
Sampling procedure
 All researchers must:
 Photograph all skeletal elements to be sampled. A digital copy (on CD) must be provided
to MOL Archaeology or the LAARC for the site(s) in question
 Fill out a sampling card and place this in the skeleton box
 The WORD database record will be updated to show that sampling has taken place.
Elements sampled, purpose and researchers initials should be included in the comments
field
 Return all boxes to their original location in the rotunda or MOL Archaeology stores
 Any remains removed from Museum premises for non-destructive analyses must be
returned to the original location at the researchers cost
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All extant material (elements and sampled material) remaining following destructive
testing must be returned to the MoL at the researchers cost
Material must be returned within 6 months of completion of analysis or 1 month before
submission of thesis/publication, whichever is the soonest
Any researcher who is found to be contravening these requirements will receive one
written warning which will be copied to their supervisor. A second breach will result in no
further access being granted to that researcher and may prejudice research applications
from their academic institution in the future.