Three Decades of Nebraska Archaeology with Rob Bozell - Ep 29
In this episode, I sit down with Rob Bozell, who served the Nebraska State Historical Society for more than three decades and retired as State Archaeologist after a career that began in the 1980’s. Rob reflects on his journey through some of the most transformative decades in American archaeology, including the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and its lasting impact on the field.
In the first half of our conversation, Rob takes us back to the 1990s—sharing how he stepped into leadership just as NAGPRA and the Nebraska Unmarked Human Burial Sites and Skeletal Remains Protection Act were enacted, and how Nebraska institutions and tribal nations worked to navigate this new legal and cultural landscape together.
In the second half, we turn to the 2000s and 2010s, as Rob discusses major projects like the rediscovery of the Engineer Cantonment site, the evolution of preservation practices, and his efforts to foster meaningful relationships between archaeologists and Indigenous communities. He closes with reflections on his career, the legacy of NAGPRA, and his hopes for the next generation of archaeologists committed to Great Plains Archaeology.
Transcripts
Links
The Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021)
Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998)
Contact
Instagram: @pawnee_archaeologist
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