Archaeology Institute Updates Native American Inventory List
Published Date: 12/16/2025
Notice
Summary
The Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology in Andover, MA, has finished checking its collection and found human remains and artifacts linked to Native American tribes. Starting January 15, 2026, these items can be returned to the tribes that they belong to. This is a respectful step to honor Native American heritage with no costs or risks involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation Authorized to Caddo Nation
If you are a member of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, the Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology has determined that two Native American individuals and 25 associated funerary objects are culturally affiliated with the Caddo Nation and may be returned to the tribe. The items are eligible for repatriation on or after January 15, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation and Process
You can request repatriation if you are one of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or if you are a lineal descendant or tribe that shows by a preponderance of the evidence cultural affiliation. The Robert S. Peabody Institute must decide among competing requests and may complete repatriation on or after January 15, 2026.
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Previous: 2025-22919, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Harvard’s Peabody Museum plans to return 30 cultural items like sacred objects and funerary artifacts to Native American tribes connected to Arizona sites. This repatriation will start on or after January 15, 2026, honoring Native communities and their heritage. No money changes hands, but this is a big step in respecting cultural history and following the law.
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The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has finished checking and listing Native American human remains and related items from the Dugger Bluff site. These remains belong to at least eight individuals and are linked to Native tribes, with plans to return them starting January 15, 2026. This update adds new items not included in earlier returns, so tribes can now request repatriation.