Colonial Encounters and Anatomical Collections: The Global Exchange of Specimens and Knowledge in the British Empire.

Original Article, 2025, Volume -1, Issue -1, Page No 74-79

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Dr. Sikha Sinha, Anatomy, GMC, UP

Abstract: This abstract explores how British colonialism profoundly shaped the practices of anatomical study and the formation of anatomical collections, fostering a global exchange of human specimens and knowledge within the British Empire. It argues that the acquisition of anatomical materials from colonized territories was not merely an extension of scientific curiosity but was deeply intertwined with imperial power dynamics, racial hierarchies, and economic exploitation. The abstract will examine the mechanisms through which specimens were obtained, often through illicit means like grave robbing or the exploitation of marginalized populations, and their subsequent transfer to metropolitan institutions. Furthermore, it will investigate how these collections contributed to the development of European anatomical knowledge, simultaneously reinforcing existing racial theories and contributing to the objectification of colonized bodies. Finally, this research will shed light on the resistance and agency of colonized peoples in the face of these practices, and the long-lasting legacies of these colonial encounters on contemporary anatomical science and museum ethics, including ongoing debates around repatriation.