Final answer:
National and State Governments are primarily responsible for writing and enforcing legislation protecting archaeological sites, with laws like the American Antiquities Act and NAGPRA in the U.S. International bodies like UNESCO offer guidance but rely on state compliance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bodies that write and enforce legislation protecting archaeological sites are primarily C) National and State Governments. These governmental bodies have the legal authority to establish laws, such as the American Antiquities Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) in the United States. Additionally, while international organizations like UNESCO advocate for the protection of world heritage sites, their power is mostly advisory, and they rely on member states to implement and enforce these protections.
When considering the preservation of archaeological sites, decisions between restoration versus conservation must be carefully weighed. Restoration can make sites more visually appealing and understandable to the public, but must be reversible to not damage the integrity of the site. Conservation focuses on maintaining the current state of a site to preserve its authenticity. Moreover, the rights of indigenous peoples to cultural artifacts and knowledge must be respected, as shown by legislation like NAGPRA, which enables tribes to reclaim human remains and culturally significant objects.