G.S. ch. 70, art. 1

in effect

G.S. 70-1 Private landowners urged to refrain from destruction.

§ 70-1. Private landowners urged to refrain from destruction. Private owners of lands containing Indian relics, artifacts, mounds or burial grounds are urged to refrain from the excavation or destruction thereof and to forbid such conduct by others, without the cooperation of the director of the State Museum and the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources or without the assistance or supervision of some person designated by either as qualified to make scientific archaeological explorations. (1935, c. 198, s. 1; 1973, c. 476, s. 48; 2015-241, s. 14.30(x).)

G.S. 70-2 Possessors of relics urged to commit them to custody of State agencies.

§ 70-2. Possessors of relics urged to commit them to custody of State agencies. All persons having in their possession collections of Indian relics, artifacts, and antiquities which are in danger of being lost, destroyed or scattered are urged to commit them to the custody of the North Carolina State Museum, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, or some other public agency or institution within the State which is qualified to preserve and exhibit them for their historic, scientific and educational value to the people of the State. (1935, c. 198, s. 2; 1973, c. 476, s. 48; 2015-241, s. 14.30(s).)

G.S. 70-3 Preservation of relics on public lands.

§ 70-3. Preservation of relics on public lands. It shall be the duty of any person in charge of any construction or excavation on any lands owned by the State, by any public agency or institution, by any county, or by any municipal corporation, to report promptly to and preserve for the director of the State Museum or the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources any Indian relic, artifact, mound, or burial ground discovered in the course of such construction or excavation. (1935, c. 198, s. 3; 1973, c. 476, s. 48; 2015-241, s. 14.30(x).)

G.S. 70-4 Destruction or sale of relic from public lands made misdemeanor.

§ 70-4. Destruction or sale of relic from public lands made misdemeanor. Any person who shall excavate, disturb, remove, destroy or sell any Indian relic or artifact, or any of the contents of any mound or burial ground, on or from any lands owned by the State, by any public agency or institution, by any county, or by any municipal corporation, except with the written approval of the director of the State Museum or the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1935, c. 198, s. 4; 1973, c. 476, s. 48; 1993, c. 539, s. 542; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2015-241, s. 14.30(x).)

Source: North Carolina General Assembly (ncleg.gov)URL: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_70.htmlFetched: 10/19/2026