Giving and taking

Negotiating responsible sampling for aDNA and multi-isotope analysis in practice

Bibliographic Data

ID22412484
AuthorsLucy J Koster (0000-0002-8486-0432, University of Aberdeen, corresponding author), K Britton (0000-0002-9478-5966, University of Aberdeen), Neil Curtis (0000-0003-4437-0460, University of Aberdeen), Orsolya Czére (0000-0002-9732-4583, University of Aberdeen), J M Dittmar (0000-0003-3514-1869, University of Aberdeen), Thomas J Booth (0000-0002-8731-818X, The Francis Crick Institute), Jesse McCabe (0009-0002-2401-256X, The Francis Crick Institute), Monica Kelly (0009-0006-7075-1290, The Francis Crick Institute), Pooja Swali (0000-0002-8301-8649, The Francis Crick Institute), Frankie Tait (0009-0004-1864-5867, The Francis Crick Institute), Mia Williams (0009-0001-1940-6815, The Francis Crick Institute), Alexandre Gilardet (0000-0003-4851-3051, The Francis Crick Institute), Marina Silva (0000-0002-3756-0920, The Francis Crick Institute), Linus Girdland-Flink (0000-0001-6499-8728, University of Aberdeen)
Year2026
Pages1-15
Publication date2026-07-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWorld Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0043-8243 • E-ISSN: 1470-1375
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00438243.2026.2698719
OpenAlexW7168804352
LanguageEN
References cited52

The ethics of destructive sampling of human remains has become a critical debate, in part centred on developing minimally invasive techniques that simultaneously maximize information yield. While widely adopted best-practice guidelines have been developed, the proliferation of diverse analytical techniques results in incremental damage that compounds across studies, necessitating coordinated protocols to minimize cumulative destructive impact. Here, we exemplify the complexities of developing standardized protocols to mitigate these issues in a study aimed at co-analysing multi-isotopes and aDNA analysis in individuals buried at Lochhead Quarry, an early medieval long cist cemetery in Angus, Scotland. We conclude that the most ethically appropriate approach to sampling is contingent upon anatomical representation and preservation weighted against research objectives, project capacity and curatorial context, and that standardized protocols are difficult to implement in practice. This highlights the need for active, dynamic and coordinated research designs explicitly integrating different biomolecular objectives at the outset.

Ethical issues · Human rights · Negotiation · Representation (politics) · Sampling (signal processing) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic and Genetic Research · Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies