March. 26th, 2014

Today in class we discussed Ethics and Archaeology, which relates to the 'Human Remains Debate'. In the criminal code s.182: Dead Body states: 

a) Everyone who neglects, without lawful excuse, to perform any duty that is imposed on him by law or that he undertakes with reference to the burial of a dead human body or human remains, or

b) improperly or indecently interferes with or offers any indignity to a dead human body or human remains, whether buried or not, is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

This is important to look at because there are over 5000,000 excavated skeletons in US museums and another 500,000skeletons overseas.. These remains have been taken from Native Americans and various other peoples.  The American Indians Against Desecration (AIAD) wants to retrieve all Native American human remains from across the world, oppose excavation of burials, and require reburial without delay 

Native Americans have particular traditions when it comes to burying the dead. They believe that “once an Indian is laid to rest he should not be disturbed... if he is disturbed, his is out here, wandering his spirit not fully with mother earth” 

The American Committee for the Preservation of Archaeological Collections (ACPAC) is also very concerned for loss of resources for studying disease, diet, demographics, culture, environment, society. 

The Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a very important act that requires return of skeletal and funerary objects. It focuses on returning remains, artifacts, grave goods etc.. to the tribe on whose land they were discovered, or to the tribe that has the closest cultural affiliation and which makes a claim.

Between these three committee’s and many more out there, bringing the remains back to where they were originally from is highly important. Therefore, museums should be legally allowed to return human remains. Museums should have procedures to determine claims and ownership. There should be a Human Remains Advisory Panel to  deal with disputes. 

Therefore, ethical archaeology is the code of behaviour and cultural construct. Culture conflict requires tolerance, respect, compromise. These areas must be looked at when excavating the dead and looking at human remains.