El Negro of Banyoles was not unique: there are quite a lot of human bodies publicly displayed in various ways in museums and other places. In many cases, there are very similar issues involved, with calls for the bodies (or body parts) to be repatriated or buried. But this is not always true, and the significance of displaying the body can vary. Debates over such bodies can involve perceived conflicts between cultures, or between different types of values (e.g. "science" versus "human dignity"). This paper will attempt to offer an overview of the issue, in historical perspective, and offer some suggestions about possible general principles for dealing with it.
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