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Stonehenge should display fake human remains, druid says | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A druid leader is calling for fake, rather than real, human remains to be put on display at Stonehenge. | A druid leader is calling for fake, rather than real, human remains to be put on display at Stonehenge. |
In an open letter, King Arthur Pendragon criticised English Heritage for the "macabre manner" it plans to display "ancestral remains". | |
In 2011, he lost a High Court bid to have bones, found in 2008, reburied. | |
English Heritage said the remains were not from the 2008 excavation and their "presentation, treatment and storage" would follow strict UK guidelines. | |
The cremated remains of more than 40 bodies, thought to be at least 5,000 years old, were removed from a burial site at the ancient stone circle five years ago. | The cremated remains of more than 40 bodies, thought to be at least 5,000 years old, were removed from a burial site at the ancient stone circle five years ago. |
According to Mr Pendragon, the bones were the remains of members of the "royal line" or "priest caste" who could have been the "founding fathers of this great nation". | According to Mr Pendragon, the bones were the remains of members of the "royal line" or "priest caste" who could have been the "founding fathers of this great nation". |
"There are cremated remains and a full skeleton from one of the barrows, which they're planning to put on display," he said. | "There are cremated remains and a full skeleton from one of the barrows, which they're planning to put on display," he said. |
"This is not only out of step with the feelings of many of the peoples and groups that I represent but is surely against the driving cultural principles of a Unesco World Heritage Site." | "This is not only out of step with the feelings of many of the peoples and groups that I represent but is surely against the driving cultural principles of a Unesco World Heritage Site." |
The £27m scheme to build a new visitor centre and close the road alongside the ancient monument, is due to be completed by the end of the year. | The £27m scheme to build a new visitor centre and close the road alongside the ancient monument, is due to be completed by the end of the year. |
Mr Pendragon said visitors would be "appalled" and unless "models and replicas" were used he could "not rule out non-violent direct action against the proposals". | Mr Pendragon said visitors would be "appalled" and unless "models and replicas" were used he could "not rule out non-violent direct action against the proposals". |
'Visitors expect remains' | 'Visitors expect remains' |
But a spokeswoman for English Heritage said visitor research showed the "vast majority of museum visitors are comfortable with, and often expect to see, human remains". | But a spokeswoman for English Heritage said visitor research showed the "vast majority of museum visitors are comfortable with, and often expect to see, human remains". |
"The remains of three human burials found in the landscape will be displayed with ample explanation along with archaeological objects, providing visitors with a direct connection to the people who lived and worked there," she said. | "The remains of three human burials found in the landscape will be displayed with ample explanation along with archaeological objects, providing visitors with a direct connection to the people who lived and worked there," she said. |
"As such, we believe they have a rightful place in the exhibition and their presentation, treatment and storage will follow strict guidelines set out by the UK government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport." | "As such, we believe they have a rightful place in the exhibition and their presentation, treatment and storage will follow strict guidelines set out by the UK government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport." |
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