ABSTRACT
The latter half of the 20th century witnessed not only increased visibility of bioarchaeological research but also enhanced concern by Native Americans/First Nations1 about excavation of ancient burial sites and collections of archaeologically recovered remains and associated funerary items held in museums and universities. Such concerns excited public support and led to state and federal repatriation legislation in the United States. At the federal level, the National Museum of the American Indian Act (NMAIA) was passed by Congress in 19892 and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) in 1990.3 State laws vary widely (Ubelaker and Grant, 1989), as discussed later. Similarly variable laws have been promulgated in Canada at corporate, municipal, and provincial/territorial levels, although there was no encompassing federal legislation in place by the end of 2004 (Burley, 1994; Ferris, 2003; Nicholas and Andrews, 1997; Watkins, 2003).
