Members of the NZAA agree to abide by the Code of Ethics when they join the Association.
Preamble
This Code of Ethics was adopted by the New Zealand Archaeological Association at its Annual General Meeting at Mt Maunganui on July 16, 2025. Its purpose is to ensure that members of the Association are aware of the various professional and ethical obligations that archaeologists have and to ensure that they behave in an ethical manner consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
New Zealand Archaeological Association Code of Ethics
1. Members have an obligation to the discipline of archaeology. They agree to undertake their work following best practice, and to present the results of their work accurately, fully and fairly.
2. Members recognise that they have obligations to the communities associated with the archaeological sites they are investigating, and particularly to tangata whenua and other indigenous peoples. They acknowledge the special importance of indigenous cultural heritage to indigenous peoples.
3. Members recognise that the indigenous cultural heritage rightfully belongs to the indigenous descendants of that heritage.
4. Members will work towards establishing collaborative partnerships with the indigenous peoples whose cultural sites are being investigated or managed.
5. Members shall seek to identify, shall negotiate with, and obtain the informed consent of, representatives authorised by the people whose cultural sites are the subject of investigation or management.
6. Members shall ensure that the authorised representatives of the peoples whose sites are being investigated are kept informed during all stages of the investigation.
7. Members shall ensure that their work results in written reports, copies of which shall be presented to the representatives of the identified cultural group.
8. Members recognise the special importance of ancestral human remains, and sites containing and/or associated with such remains, to many people and particularly to indigenous peoples.
9. Members shall not interfere with or remove human remains without being requested by or having the consent of the authorised representatives.
10. Members shall not interfere with or remove artefacts without the consent of the authorised representatives of the appropriate cultural group.
11. Members recognise indigenous methodologies for interpreting, curating, managing and protecting indigenous cultural heritage including, where appropriate, supporting the repatriation of archaeological materials.
12. Members have an obligation to ensure, wherever possible, the protection, preservation and conservation of the sites, data and objects they deal with.
Members shall abide by any legislation governing the practice of archaeology and the management of archaeological sites, data, and objects.
