Anthropology and restless spirits: The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and the unresolved issues of prehistoric human remains

One of the fields of environmental law related to the management of public land and natural resources is "cultural resources" law. Cultural resources include a variety of items, ranging from historic buildings to abandoned shipwrecks. Among the statutes that protect these resources on federal lands are the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. This Article examines a case that presents significant issues of first impression under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.