Readers are referred to Professor Weiss’s longer article on this subject in the Journal of Controversial Ideas https://journalofcontroversialideas.org/article/4/2/283 and to her interview on the global history of slavery for History Reclaimed: https://historyreclaimed.co.uk/webinar-indigenous-slavery-in-america-and-america/
An in-depth investigation into anthropological and archaeological research in California’s public universities has revealed that the scientific study of human skeletal remains has ceased. Studies on human skeletal remains are needed to accurately reconstruct the past, to test new forensic anthropology methods, and to prepare future archaeologists, physical anthropologists, and forensic anthropologists.
In a recently published article in the Journal of Controversial Ideas, Elizabeth Weiss, a professor emeritus of anthropology at San José State University (SJSU), discovered that there are effectively no available human remains’ research collections throughout the California State University or University of California systems.
Weiss contacted 32 of the 33 public California universities and requested information about the availability of both Native American and non-Native American skeletal collections. She was repeatedly told that collections access has ceased.
This cessation resulted from late-2023 regulatory changes to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) that require continuous consultation with tribes and has resulted in the closure of Native American museum exhibits around the nation. It is also a result of California repatriation laws which mandate that when scientific data and Native American knowledge are at odds, deference must be given to the tribal narrative.
Only one campus seems to have any opportunity for human remains research. San José State University has a small and poorly-preserved skeletal collection from sixth to seventh century AD Carthage (i.e. modern day Tunisia) that may still be available to researchers. Actions to make this collection unavailable for research were halted when Elizabeth Weiss sued SJSU for retaliatory actions against her views of repatriation. Had it not been for her lawsuit, this collection too would likely have been off-limits to researchers.
Yet, this moratorium on human remains’ research extends beyond the laboratory. Teaching is being curtailed as well. Recently, two California laws (AB226 and AB389) have passed that target teaching collections that may contain Native American human remains. This has resulted in some universities even forbidding the use of skeletal images in the classroom. For instance, on August 30, 2023, California State University Bakersfield’s president put out a moratorium that stated:
“As part of CSUB’s commitment to NAGPRA, CalNAGPRA, and working with Native and Indigenous communities, the university is placing a moratorium on the research, teaching, display, imaging, and circulation of human remains and cultural items (including archival material, notes, movies, and data) that are potentially subject to NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA.”
According to Weiss: “Studies on Native American skeletal remains have disappeared in California public universities and in top research journals.” But, the burial of the study of skeletal remains will not stop with Native American remains. Weiss states that “non-Native American remains, such as forensic collections, and remains from India’s bone trade that make up the majority of non-Native American remains in U.S. universities, are being targeted for removal from labs and classrooms.”
Research into California’s prehistoric past has already become a thing of the past, but as Weiss explains, “the destruction of anthropological research will continue until all human remain collections are buried.”
Elizabeth Weiss is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, San José State University, California
