title: They Sell Skulls Online?! A Review of Internet Sales of Human Skulls on eBay and the Laws in Place to Restrict Sales.
abstract: Internet sales of human remains occur despite the existence of laws prohibiting such action in most jurisdictions. The most popular public platform for online sales, eBay, allows users to postskeletal material for sale, largely anonymously and without much fear of legal repercussions. This survey of skeletal sales was conducted 10 years after the first article published about online human remains sales. A review of current laws reveals that, while many states have laws that restrict any sale of human remains, those laws have questionable deterrent effect. Assessing the skeletal material posted for sale provides law enforcement agencies with a necessary starting point to curtail the sale of human remains through enforcement of existing laws. Ultimately, the goal is to stem the commodification of such items and to recover skeletal material, especially that which may be of archaeological or forensic significance, and provide the proper final disposition for such material.
authors.affiliation: Lands & Natural Resources Section, Civil Division, Louisiana Department of Justice, 1885 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802. hallingc@ag.louisiana.gov.
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Halling
authors.affiliation: Lands & Natural Resources Section, Civil Division, Louisiana Department of Justice, 1885 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802.
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Seidemann
mesh_terms: D003132:Commerce; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D012886:Skull
keywords: eBay; forensic anthropology; forensic science; human remains sales; law enforcement; legal analysis