Dead Capital? The Economics of the Corpse in the British Isles (c. 1600–1830)
Final Report Abstract
In the early modern period, human remains were a lucrative commodity. They were sold as relics, advertised as exquisite natural history specimens and valuable medicinal substances, and found their way as stolen goods into the anatomies and medical faculties of the 'Western world'. Finally, there was a booming market for skulls and mummified heads from Europe’s overseas colonies. Until now, however, little has been known about this fundamental economy of early modern human remains. Neither cultural history nor economic history had recognized its importance at the time of the proposal. This project therefore set itself the goal of analyzing the mercantile dimension of human remains in the early modern period for the first time and of extending current debates on a cultural history of economics to include the new concept of 'necro-economies'. Necro-economies were defined as practices that subject human remains to a logic of economic exploitation. These vary, in some cases massively, when comparing different historical periods and societies. By forcing actors to position themselves in relation to the 'last things', necro-economies often make visible social (e.g. religious) values and norms. The project thus addressed fundamental research problems such as how to deal with conflicts of norms and values and phenomena of cultural ambiguity in early modern societies. Within the scope of the project, significant parts of an academic monograph, a special issue of an academic journal and several research articles were produced. In addition, regular courses on the topic were held. These have resulted in student research papers and qualification theses. Four results of the project stand out: (1) Contrary to previous assumptions, the trade in human remains was not carried out by socially marginalized groups. My findings show that traders in human remains were typically recruited from core social milieus. Contrary to expectations, not only men but also women were involved in the trade. (2) In the early modern period and the 'Sattelzeit', large numbers of human remains were brought into Europe and North America from outside Europe as colonial spoils. However, there has been little analysis of the market practices involved. For the first time, it has been possible to identify a circle of subaltern (including indigenous) actors who acted as 'suppliers'. It has also been possible to reconstruct the outlines of trade routes and networks. Further research will be necessary to obtain a complete picture of these global market cultures in the context of human remains. (3) Human anatomical specimens played a pivotal role in the context of early modern collecting and knowledge economies. Following research on the field of 'entrepreneurial science', the project was able to identify and analyse key value-generating factors, including practices of aestheticization and material inscription techniques. (4) Finally, the concept of necro-economies was further developed through discussions with colleagues in Germany and abroad. In this way, a variety of necro-economies of historical societies were reconstructed, demonstrating the applicability of the concept in a range of contexts.
Publications
-
Leichen als Kapital. Nekroökonomien der Frühen Neuzeit, Vortrag, 13. Arbeitstagung der AG Frühe Neuzeit in Rostock
Bähr, Matthias
-
Grabräuber und das Geschäft mit menschlichen Überresten, Blogbeitrag in: Kliotop
Bähr, Matthias
-
Englands Auferstehungsmacher. Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, 109(4), 425-442.
Bähr, Matthias
-
Religious Coexistence and Cultural Ambiguity in Early Modern History, in: Ulrike Ludwig (Hrsg.), Conceptual Forum Concurrence of Norms and Cultural Ambiguity (= EViR Working Papers 9), Münster 2024, 52–60
Bähr, Matthias
