Kansas Antiquities Act
KSA 74-5401 through 74-5408 (enacted in 1967) is a state statute that recognizes the state's awareness of the need to conserve significant archeological remains on state, county, and municipal lands. It establishes a commission to protect and regulate the removal of antiquities from these public lands.
The Kansas Antiquities Commission, by statute, consists of the secretary / executive director of the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) as chairman and the state archeologist, head of the Archeology Office of the KSHS, as secretary. Other members of the five member commission are the department heads (or their designees) of the anthropology departments at Kansas University, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University. These statutes prohibit uncontrolled excavation or vandalism of archeological sites on state, county, or municipal owned lands. Controlled scientific excavation can be made by permits obtained from the commission secretary.
For more information contact:
Dr. Robert Hoard
Kansas State Archeologist
Cultural Resources Division
Kansas State Historical Society
6425 SW 6th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66615-1099
(785) 272-8681, ext. 268
FAX (785) 272-8682
or e-mail rhoard@kshs.org