De-hoarding the museum: Repatriation and the “loss” of collections

Abstract

This essay explores the concept of hoarding and of “de-hoarding,” in the context of archaeological collecting institutions. I utilize the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) as a framework for understanding differing concepts of the “value” of the ancestral human remains and cultural belongings that comprise many such collections in the United States. By prioritizing the repatriation of Native American ancestral remains and cultural belongings, as well as deferring to tribal nations and lineal descendants in their care and curation—both required by NAGPRA legislation—collecting institutions can begin to shift their mentality from adding to these “hoards” toward providing appropriate care to the collections in their possession.