Native Americans and Archaeologists

Stepping Stones to Common Ground

Nina Swidler, Kurt Dongoske, Roger Anyon, Alan Downer

• Publisher: AltaMira Press
• Year: 1997
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9780759117594
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

Legal and economic factors have thrust American archaeology into a period of intellectual and methodological unrest. Issues such as reburial and repatriation, land and resource 'ownership,' and the integration of tradition and science have long divided archaeologists and Native American communities. Both groups recognize the need for a dramatic transformation of the discipline into one that appeals to and serves the greater public. This book tackles these and other issues by elucidating successful strategies for collaboration. It includes detailed discussions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), enacted in 1990 in effort to legislatively redefine ownership of cultural items. Perspectives range from Native American representatives from tribes throughout the U.S., professional archaeologists and anthropologists working for tribes, federal and state agency representatives, museum specialists, and private archaeology and anthropology consultants. Published in cooperation with the Society for American Archaeology.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Dedication
• Foreword - Living Human Values
• Preface and Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• SECTION I - Historical Overview
• SECTION II - Changing the Paradigms
• SECTION III - The Integration of Tradition and Science
• SECTION IV - Relevance of Archaeology to Tribes
• SECTION V - A Look at Consultation
• SECTION VI - Commentary
• References
• About the Authors
• Index