Virginia § 10.1-2305 Permit required for the archaeological excavation of human remains

Virginia Statutes

§ 10.1-2305 — Permit required for the archaeological excavation of human remains

Virginia § 10.1-2305

Title 10.1Conservation

Subtitle IIIActivities Administered by the Department of Historic Resources

Ch. 23Virginia Antiquities Act

This text of Virginia § 10.1-2305 (Permit required for the archaeological excavation of human remains) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Va. Code Ann. § 10.1-2305 (2026).

Text

A.It is unlawful for any person to conduct any type of archaeological field investigation involving the removal of human skeletal remains or associated artifacts from any unmarked human burial regardless of age of an archaeological site and regardless of ownership without first receiving a permit from the Director.

B.Where unmarked burials are not part of a legally chartered cemetery, archaeological excavation of such burials pursuant to a permit from the Director shall be exempt from the requirements of §§ 57-38.1 and 57-39. However, such exemption shall not apply in the case of human burials within formally chartered cemeteries that have been abandoned.

C.The Department shall be considered an interested party in court proceedings considering the abandonment of legally constituted ce

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A. It is unlawful for any person to conduct any type of archaeological field investigation involving the removal of human skeletal remains or associated artifacts from any unmarked human burial regardless of age of an archaeological site and regardless of ownership without first receiving a permit from the Director.

B. Where unmarked burials are not part of a legally chartered cemetery, archaeological excavation of such burials pursuant to a permit from the Director shall be exempt from the requirements of §§ 57-38.1 and 57-39. However, such exemption shall not apply in the case of human burials within formally chartered cemeteries that have been abandoned.

C. The Department shall be considered an interested party in court proceedings considering the abandonment of legally constituted cemeteries or family graveyards with historic significance. A permit from the Director is required if archaeological investigations are undertaken as a part of a court-approved removal of a cemetery.

D. The Board shall promulgate regulations implementing this section that provide for appropriate public notice prior to issuance of a permit, provide for appropriate treatment of excavated remains, the scientific quality of the research conducted on the remains, and the appropriate disposition of the remains upon completion of the research. Such regulations shall also require consultation with any federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth pursuant to § 10.1-2205.1. When a burial permit would result in the disturbance of a burial site of an individual that has a cultural affiliation with a particular federally recognized Tribal Nation in the Commonwealth, the Department shall consult and seek consensus with such federally recognized Tribal Nation in the Commonwealth in the consideration and drafting of the permit document. The Department may carry out such excavations and research without a permit, provided that it has complied with the substantive requirements of the regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.

E. Any interested party may appeal the Director's decision to issue a permit or to act directly to excavate human remains to the local circuit court. Such appeal must be filed within 14 days of the Director's decision.

F. For the purposes of this section, "cultural affiliation" has the same definition as provided in 25 U.S.C. § 3001(2) of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. § 3001 et seq.) and its regulations. If doubt exists as to cultural affiliation, the federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth with potential cultural affiliation shall make the determination.