Mummified Priest's Remains May Return to Egypt

Glasgow Life has received a request to repatriate the remains of a mummified priest named Nekht to Egypt. The request was made in recent days, though the source of the request remains unidentified.

A Glasgow Life spokesperson stated that the organization plans to continue removing human remains from public display, citing care and conservation as key factors. The spokesperson noted that this process is expected to take some time.

A specific storage, with restricted access, was built as part of the second phase of the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre. This facility will be used to house human remains and other sensitive objects, including the remains of N.ekht.

News of the request was first reported in The Sunday Post. Other human remains, including a mummified male head, right foot, and right hand, have also been removed from public view following similar repatriation efforts.

Work is currently underway to remove archaeological human remains from the History Discovery Centre and the Scotland’s Early People gallery at Kelvingrove. Once this task is complete, efforts will shift to removing a coffin and mummified remains on display at St Mungo Museum.

Glasgow Life cited the International Council of Museums’ revised code of ethics, published in June 2026, as a key factor in its decision to remove human remains from display. The code emphasizes the inherent dignity of human remains and the need for respect toward their significance.