1. NPS advisory memorandum on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1991).
    • NPS first draft, "Interim Guidelines for the Implementation of NAGPRA" (June 4, 1991). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on first draft (June 11, 1991). (PDF)
    • NPS second draft, "Advisory Memorandum Regarding the Implementation of NAGPRA" (June 29, 1991). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on second draft (July 5, 1991). (PDF)
    • NPS final memorandum, "The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act" (October 30, 1991). (PDF)
      • Appendix A: Advisory Council on Historic Preservation memorandum on the the relationship between section 106 of NHPA and NAGPRA (July 7, 1991). (PDF)
      • Appendix B: NPS memorandum on the establishment of servicewide procedures for responding to notifications under Public Law 93-291 (December 18, 1984). (PDF)
      • Appendix C: Charter for NAGPRA Review Committee (August 2, 1991). (PDF) 
  2. Unpublished draft NAGPRA regulations (1992-93).
    • NPS draft 3 (April 21, 1992). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on draft 3 (May 31, 1992). (PDF)
    • NPS draft 4 (October 20, 1992). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on draft 4 (January 13, 1993). (PDF) 
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  3. NPS guidance on NAGPRA implementation (1993).
    • NPS memorandum on "Summaries, Inventories, and Notification Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990" (January 13, 1993). (PDF) 
  4. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations, 43 CFR 10 (1993-1997).
    • Proposed rules, Federal Register, Vol. 58, No. 102, pp. 31123-31134 (May 28, 1993). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on proposed rules (July 20, 1993). (PDF)
    • Final regulations, Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 232, pp. 62133-62169 (December 4, 1995). (PDF)
    • Correcting amendments to final regulations, Federal Register, Vol. 62, No. 148, pp. 41292-41294 (August 1, 1997). (PDF) 
  5. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations on civil penalties, 43 CFR 10.12 (1997-2003).
    • Interim rule, Federal Register, Vol. 62, No. 8, pp. 1819-1823 (January 13, 1997). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on interim rule (April 14, 1997). (PDF)
    • Final regulations, Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 64, pp. 16354-16364 (April 3, 2003). (PDF) 
  6. Unpublished draft NAGPRA regulations on disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains (43 CFR 10.11) and future applicability (43 CFR 10.13), distributed and discussed at the NAGPRA Review Committee Meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma (May, 2002).
  7. NPS guidance on NAGPRA implementation (2002).
    • National Park System Advisory Board report on "Recommendations Regarding the National Park Service Process for Making Determinations of Cultural Affiliation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act" (June 12, 2002). (PDF) 
  8. NPS initial consultation with SAA regarding the development of NAGPRA regulations on the disposition of unclaimed human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony (43 CFR 10.7) (April, 2004).
    • NPS letter to Lynne Sebastian, inviting SAA to consult (April 1, 2004). (PDF)
    • NPS handouts presented at consultation meeting with SAA (April 19, 2004). (PDF) 
  9. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations on future applicability, 43 CFR 10.13 (2004-2005).
    • Proposed rule, Federal Register, Vol. 69, No. 202, pp. 61613-61615 (October 20, 2004).(PDF)
    • SAA comments on proposed rule (January 17, 2005). (PDF) 
  10. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations, technical amendment that reassigns responsibilities for implementation, 43 CFR 10 (September 30, 2005).
    • Final rule, Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 189, pp. 57177-57179 (September 30, 2005). (PDF) 
  11. NPS second consultation with SAA regarding the development of NAGPRA regulations on the disposition of unclaimed human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony (43 CFR 10.7) (2005).
    • Notice of consultation meeting, Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 194, pp. 58741-58742 (October 7, 2005). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on proposed rule (November 28, 2005). (PDF) 
  12. NPS guidance on NAGPRA implementation (2006).
    • NPS Cultural Resource Management Guideline, Appendix R: Guidance for National Park Service Compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (May, 2006). (PDF)
      • Sample memorandum of agreement. (PDF)
      • Sample plan of action, inadvertent discovery (in situ protection). (PDF)
      • Sample plan of action, inadvertent discovery (recovery and transfer). (PDF)
      • Sample plan of action, planned excavation. (PDF) 
  13. NPS third consultation with SAA regarding the development of NAGPRA regulations on the disposition of unclaimed human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony (43 CFR 10.7) (2007).
    • Notice of consultation meeting, Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 69, pp. 18192-18193 (April 11, 2007). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on proposed rule (April 18, 2007). (PDF) 
  14. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations on disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains, 43 CFR 10.11 (2007-2008).
    • Proposed rule, Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 199, pp. 58282-58590 (October 16, 2007). (PDF)
    • AAPA position statement on proposed rule (October 26, 2007). (PDF)
    • SAA position statement on proposed rule (November 10, 2007). (PDF)
    • SAA news release on proposed rule (December 7, 2007). (PDF)
    • SAA comments on proposed rule (January 14, 2008).
      • SAA letter to Sherry Hutt, Manager, National NAGPRA Program, NPS (PDF)
      • SAA detailed comments (PDF)
  15. Department of Interior Publishes Culturally Unidentifiable Human Remains Final Rule (March 15, 2010)
    • Final rule (PDF)
    • SAA comments on Final Rule (May 11, 2010). (PDF)
  16. National NAGPRA announces public comment period for retrospective review of NAGPRA regulations (May 19, 2011)
    • SAA comments (June 29, 2011). (PDF)
  17. SAA files comments on technical corrections to NAGPRA regulations (June 14, 2012). (PDF)

  18. NPS publishes technical revisions to NAGPRA regulations (May 9, 2013). (PDF)

  19. SAA comments on NPS proposed regulations on disposition of unclaimed human remains and funerary objects (December 29, 2013). (PDF)

  20. SAA comments on draft NAGPRA dispute resolution procedures (November 14, 2014). (PDF)

  21. NPS publishes final rule on disposition of unclaimed human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural property (November 5, 2015). (PDF)
  22. SAA letter to National NAGPRA Program
  23. SAA comments on draft changes to NAGPRA regulations (March 15, 2022). (PDF)

  24. NPS publishes revised proposed changes to NAGPRA regulations (October 18, 2022). (PDF)

  25. NPS publishes final rule on revised NAGPRA regulations (December 11, 2023). (PDF)

  26. SAA comments on revised draft changes to NAGPRA regulations (January 6, 2023). (PDF)
    • SAA fact sheet on new regulations. (PDF)

Archaeologists Share What they Do

The Archiving the Archaeologists series is an oral history project of video interviews of archaeologists near retirement or already retired. Listen to real archaeologists reflect on their careers, how and why they became archaeologists, and their contributions to the discipline on the SAA YouTube channel.

Is the Past in Your Future?

Aimed at high school students, the Is the Past in Your Future?  [PDF 1.1 MB] brochure from the SAA provides brief information about a career in archaeology.

The National Historic Preservation Act

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 is a federal law that protects archaeological resources in the United States. The What is the NPHA? [PDF 1.3 MB] fact-sheet from SAA helps explain the NHPA. It includes common misconceptions about the law and explains the Section 106 review process, which is particularly important to historic preservation.

Be an Archaeology Education Coordinator

If you are an SAA member interested in serving as your area's Archaeology Education Coordinator, please contact [email protected].

SAA Education and Outreach Awards

SAA gives out several archaeology education and outreach-related awards each year: the Distinguished Achievement in Public Archaeology Award, the Excellence in Public Archaeology Programming Award, the Outstanding Public Archaeology Initiative Award, the Binford Family Award for Teaching Scientific Reasoning in Archaeology, the Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology Award for Archaeology And Education. Learn more about these awards, nominate a worthy individual or project, and view the past honorees!


Archaeology Education Newsletter Archive
1990-Present

SAA's archaeology education newsletter started as the Public Education Committee's print newsletter Archaeology & Public Education (A&PE). Running from 1990 to 1998, it featured news, events, and K-12 lesson plans aimed at expanding awareness of archaeology and heritage issues. It switched to a web format from 2000 to 2004. After a hiatus, it returned as Public Archaeology Notes (PAN) in 2016, managed by SAA's Archaeology Education Coordinators as a way to share news across regions.

Educational Videos

Looking for video content for your classroom? The SAA YouTube channel has short informational videos on a wide variety of topics, long-form interviews with archaeologists, and publicly-available online seminars.

State Archaeology Celebration Poster Contest

Does your state have an annual archaeology celebration? Submit a poster to the SAA State Archaeology Celebration Poster Contest! Learn more about the award and the submissions process.

SAA Committee on Repatriation

The Committee on Repatriation tracks national legislation, testifies at hearings when necessary, and represents SAA in discussions and negotiations on repatriation issues.

JOIN TODAY!

Join to lend your voice and your numbers to our efforts to ensure the archaeological record will exist for future generations.


Race, Inequality, and Decolonization

Please visit a selection of items on topics of race, inequality, and decolonization from The SAA Archaeological Record, Advances in Archaeological Practice, American Antiquity, and Latin American Antiquity.


Online Learning Archive

SAA members, log into the Member Center to access 30+ hours of free continuing education recordings. This is an exclusive member benefit.

Publicly-Available Recordings

Everyone can enjoy and learn from these events. See SAA's Continuing Education playlist on YouTube for publicly-available recordings of past lectures.

Have a Request?

The seminars we offer on-demand will change over time. If there is a past online seminar recording you'd like to view, please let us know at [email protected]. We can't guarantee that we can meet your request, but your input will help us make decisions about what to offer next.

Download the SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics

In 1996, the SAA Executive Board adopted its Principles of Archaeological Ethics, and in 2016, membership voted to add a Principle No. 9. In 2018, the SAA Board created a series of task forces which culminated in a 2024 update to the Principles, which were adopted overwhelmingly by members on the January 2024 ballot. Download the most current SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics [PDF 183 KB] to print or use for classrooms or training.