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10:30 a.m. today, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH; Kim Yeonsoo, Director General) of the Cultural Heritage Administration hosts a donation ceremony at the NRICH Analytical Science Center after receiving over 400 ancient human bones from Kim Jae-Hyun, a professor of Donga University.

The ceremony was held after Professor Kim has expressed his will to donate his collection of ancient human remains for the systematic preservation and research. Kim is a researcher who has made great contribution to archaeology and physical anthropology researches with bones of ancient Korean people. These bones, from 1990 when Kim began his lifetime research, provided a foundation for the NRICH to share research accomplishments with the general public.

Ancient human bones are very important sources to reveal not only people’s genetic and physical characteristics from the past, but also the paleodiet, chronology, environment, diseases and population structure as well.

These donated human remains date back to the Neolithic Age, and also include the whole skeletal remains from the Lime Soil Mixture Burials from the Joseon Dynasty, cremated bones as well as animal bones; they are expected to be the vital sources for the related researches and training such as the DNA and isotope analysis.

The NRICH plans to digitalize the donated ancient human bones along with animal bones, seek its new values through the advanced scientific technology along with systematic storing and management in order to open the new platform to share these values with the general public.