Wednesday, July 19, 2006

NAGPRA update The latest issue of the SAA Archaeological record has an article in it by Elizabeth Weiss of SJ State university, on the effects that NAGPRA and repatriation generally have had on osteological research. Happily, I found a copy online (looks to be a more detailed article actually) with non-sub access: NAGPRA Before and After.

Weiss argues from an analysis of publications in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology from before and after NAGPRA was enacted that fewer osteological studies were done, fewer sites were used, and fewer geographic locations were examined (all p<0.01). She also says that much research has switched to Central and South America from North America.

Weiss also has some comments on an extension of NAGPRA that California enacted that is much less restrictive about claims to remains than the Federal law. This, I know not much about. I'll try to get some more info from Weiss and elsewhere.

Here's Weiss's web page with lots of links to papers she's authored.