What are the state and federal laws protecting archeological resources?
Archeological resources are protected by law on state and federal lands. While federal law is consistently applied across the nation, state and local law differs from place to place. We strongly recommend that you contact your State Historic Preservation Officer and State Archeologist to find out about laws concerning archeology for your area. Archeological and Native American resources are protected on federal lands by three primary laws: the Antiquities Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and the Native American Graves Repatriation Act. These three pieces of law define what is protected and outline the penalties for offending the law. • The Antiquities Act of 1906 deems illegal the disturbing of archeological materials on lands owned by the United States and sets up penalties for the collection, excavation, and destruction of historic and prehistoric ruins or monuments situated on them. It established a permit system for legitimate archeological investigations to minimi
