Navigating Revised NAGPRA Regulations: Insights from Archaeological Repositories and Legacy Collections

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper examines the initial implementation of the revised NAGPRA regulations, effective January 2024, within the Archaeological Research Laboratory Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The updated regulations introduce new definitions for NAGPRA items, such as “cultural items,” and include a duty of care provision. These changes have significant implications and responsibilities for academic research, compliance-driven studies, and teaching, particularly at higher education institutions. Using a large archaeological legacy assemblage, accumulated over 50 years of academic and compliance studies, this paper outlines the steps taken to ensure compliance with the revised NAGPRA regulations and proposes strategies for future adherence.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 52093