When Remains are “Lost”: Thoughts on Collections, Repatriation, and Research in American Physical Anthropology

Repatriation has been a practical reality for physical anthropology since the passage of NAGPRA in 1990. Even so, discourse in the professional literature regarding what to do about the loss of human skeletal remains has largely been limited to the development of standards for osteological data collection. This article explores the concept of “loss” in physical anthropology in the context of repatriation, reviews the history of how physical anthropologists have conceptually approached skeletal collections housed in museums and universities, and examines alternative ways in which physical anthropologists may pursue research on collections of human remains, beyond their use in the reconstruction of past human behavior and population adaptations. By moving beyond a unitary idea about the use—and loss—of human skeletal remains, physical anthropologists may be able to foster more productive partnerships with descendant communities.