The Society for American Archaeology Statement Concerning the Treatment of Human Remains April 14, 2021

Microsoft Word - Document1 The Society for American Archaeology Statement Concerning the Treatment of Human Remains April 14, 2021 Archaeology is the study of the ancient and recent human past through material remains. [...] Because archaeologists may encounter and study human remains as part of their work, the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is providing this statement to reflect the SAA’s values of stewardship and accountability in the context of work with human remains. [...] It is the archaeologist’s responsibility to seek and incorporate the perspectives of descendant communities, affiliated groups, and other stakeholders in making decisions about how and whether to work with human remains. [...]   Principle 4: It is the responsibility of the archaeologist to understand and comply with the applicable law. [...] It is the responsibility of the Committee on Native American Relations (CNAR) and the Committee on Repatriation (Repat) to draft an updated statement in accordance with the charge issued by the SAA Board of Directors .