Army Corps and Museum to Repatriate 44,000 Native Artifacts
Published Date: 5/19/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum have finished checking and listing Native American human remains and artifacts. They found 66 individuals and over 44,000 related items that belong to certain Native tribes. Starting June 18, 2026, these remains and objects can be returned to the tribes, honoring their heritage and culture.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Remains and Objects Eligible for Repatriation
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum identified human remains of at least 66 Native American individuals and 44,112 associated funerary objects from the Wann site (34LF27) in LeFlore County, Oklahoma. These remains and objects are culturally affiliated with the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and may be repatriated on or after June 18, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by the Indian Tribes named in the notice (the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes), by any identified lineal descendant, or by another tribe or organization that demonstrates cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence. Written requests must be sent to the authorized representatives at the USACE Tulsa District or the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History; competing requests will be resolved by USACE and the museum and joint requests count as a single request.
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