Ethical Principles for The Jamestown Rediscovery Archaeology Program
Undertaking bioarchaeological research on past living humans demands care and respect by all parties and persons involved. We stand by the following principles outlined in the 1989 Vermillion Accord on Human Remains from the World Archeological Congress:
- Respect for the mortal remains of the dead shall be accorded to all, irrespective of origin, race, religion, nationality, custom and tradition.
- Respect for the wishes of the dead concerning disposition shall be accorded whenever possible, reasonable and lawful, when they are known or can be reasonably inferred.
- Respect for the wishes of the local community and of relatives or guardians of the dead shall be accorded whenever possible, reasonable and lawful.
- Respect for the scientific research value of skeletal, mummified and other human remains (including fossil hominids) shall be accorded when such value is demonstrated to exist.
- Agreement on the disposition of fossil, skeletal, mummified and other remains shall be reached by negotiation on the basis of mutual respect for the legitimate concerns of communities for the proper disposition of their ancestors, as well as the legitimate concerns of science and education.
- The express recognition that the concerns of various ethnic groups, as well as those of science are legitimate and are to be respected, will permit acceptable agreements to be reached and honored.
Ethical Principles for the Jamestown Bioarchaeology Project
The Jamestown Bioarchaeology Project pledges to uphold these foundational ethical principles for bioarchaeological research. In line with these tenets, we commit to the following ethical principles specific to Jamestown and the communities it serves:
- We respectfully acknowledge and honor the lives of past living persons buried at Jamestown, whose bodies are now skeletonized.
- We pledge to undertake all research and educational initiatives with respect and dignity for these past individuals.
- We respectfully acknowledge that the land Jamestown falls upon is of the Powhatan and Chesapeake Indigenous peoples. We are committed to meaningful collaboration with and for Indigenous communities, including inclusive representation of the First Peoples at Jamestown.
- We acknowledge that the histories of Jamestown embody the origins of colonialism in North America by Europeans, resulting in the displacement and subjugation of Indigenous and African descended peoples. We work to equitably understand these histories to build an inclusive history at Jamestown.
- We are accountable to community stakeholders that connect with the land, the histories, or the individuals at Jamestown. We conduct research for educational purposes in order to learn more about this shared history, and aim to make the processes of research transparent for all stakeholders.
