Augusta museum completes inventory of Native shell beads for return

Museum to Return Shell Beads

The Augusta Museum of History has identified one associated funerary object — one lot of shell beads removed from the Montezuma site (11PK41) on December 18, 1924 — and says it may be repatriated on or after April 15, 2026. The museum lists cultural affiliation with multiple tribes (for example, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi Community; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Omaha Tribe of Nebraska; Quapaw Nation; Sac & Fox nations; Shawnee Tribe; Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and others) and allows repatriation requests from any one or more of the tribes named or from lineal descendants or other tribes/organizations that show affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence. Written requests must be sent to Nancy Glaser, Augusta Museum of History, 560 Reynolds Street, Augusta, GA 30901, or the museum email provided in the notice; if competing requests are received the museum will determine the most appropriate requestor.