Restorative Heritage Consultants

Who We Are

Our firm provides specialized consulting services focused on the respectful care, ethical stewardship, analysis, and return of ancestral human remains and associated cultural materials held in archaeological, osteological teaching collections, and forensic collections. We work with museums, universities, government agencies, and other collection holders to support repatriation and disposition processes that reconnect ancestors and cultural items with their descendant communities. Our expertise includes osteological analysis, documentation of human remains and funerary objects, assessment of collections to determine the appropriate descendant community, and the preparation of materials needed to support repatriation claims and institutional compliance with NAGPRA, as well as international voluntary repatriations. Additionally, for those institutions that are in the early stages of the process, we are able to provide guidance on best practices for the continued stewardship of human remains and funerary objects within collection spaces and establish Duty of Care agreements between descendant communities and institutions.

A core focus of our work is assisting U.S. institutions with repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), as well as facilitating voluntary repatriations of international collections to Tribal Nations and other descendant communities to North America. We provide guidance on permitting and regulatory requirements, help coordinate respectful consultation and communication between institutions and Tribal representatives, and assist with the careful physical transfer of ancestors, funerary objects, and other cultural items. Through this work, we aim to support transparent, respectful, and collaborative repatriation processes that prioritize the wishes and sovereignty of descendant communities.