Arizona museum to repatriate ancient Hohokam pottery to tribes
Published Date: 3/16/2026
Notice
Summary
The Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona plans to return 17 ancient Native American pottery items to their rightful tribes starting April 15, 2026. These items, dug up decades ago from sites in Arizona, include ceramic bowls and pitchers linked to the Hohokam people. This repatriation respects Native American heritage and involves no costs or delays for the public.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
108 Ancestral Items Set for Repatriation
You (or your tribe) should know that the Arizona State Museum intends to repatriate 108 unassociated funerary objects (ceramic bowls, pitchers, jars, shell items, stone tools, and related artifacts) that have been identified as affiliated with Native American cultures. The Museum determined there is a reasonable connection between these items and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and the Salt River Pima‑Maricopa Indian Community; repatriation may occur on or after April 15, 2026.
Who Can Request Repatriation and How
If you are a lineal descendant, an Indian Tribe, or a Native Hawaiian organization, you may submit a written request for repatriation of the cultural items described in this notice. Requests must show by a preponderance of the evidence that the requester is a culturally affiliated party; repatriation may occur on or after April 15, 2026, competing requests will be resolved by the Arizona State Museum, and a joint request counts as a single (non‑competing) request.
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