The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
(NAGPRA) Reproduced from Archaeological Method and Theory: An
Encyclopedia, edited by Linda Ellis, Garland Publishing Co., New
York and London, 2000. Francis P. McManamon The Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Public Law 101-601; 25
U.S.C. 3001-3013) describes the rights of Native American lineal
descendants, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations
with respect to the treatment, repatriation, and disposition of
Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects,
and objects of cultural patrimony, referred to collectively in
the statute as cultural items, with which they can show a
relationship of lineal descent or cultural affiliation. One
major purpose of this statute (Sections 5-7) is to require that
Federal agencies and museums receiving Federal funds inventory
holdings of Native American human remains and funerary objects
and provide written summaries of other cultural items. The
agencies and museums must