The fate of 600 ancestral remains that were excavated in West Virginia remains in the air after the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act review committee tabled a decision on the matter.

The remains are considered "culturally unidentifiable," meaning they can't be linked to present-day tribes. Commissioners in Putnam County wanted to rebury them at a site near the original graves.

But questions about the legal control of the remains stalled final action by the review committee. Though the remains had been stored at Ohio State University, some archaeologists say they belong to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, a state agency.

NAGPRA only applies to ancestors and artifacts in the custody of institutions that receive federal funds. Some archaeologists say the state should hold onto the remains for future study.

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Federal panel delays vote on remains of American Indians (The Charleston Gazette 5/20)