Evolution School Ships Back Sacred Native Objects to Tribes
Published Date: 8/31/2026
Notice
Summary
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (acting in place of the Arizona State University School of Human Evolution and Social Change) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
ASU to Return 97 Cultural Items
The Arizona State University Center for Archaeology and Society intends to return 97 cultural items — 44 unassociated funerary object lots and 53 sacred object/objects of cultural patrimony lots — recovered from the Las Estufas site in Maricopa County, AZ. The repatriation may occur on or after September 30, 2026 and is directed to Indian Tribes identified as culturally affiliated (the O'Odham group).
Other Tribes May Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation to ASU's authorized representative; requests may lead to repatriation on or after September 30, 2026. If competing requests are received, ASU CASR will determine the most appropriate requestor, and joint requests are treated as a single request.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-17710, Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Tempe, AZ
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Arizona State University, Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (ASU CASR) acting in place of the Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change (ASU SHESC) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Next: 2026-17712, Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Tempe, AZ
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Arizona State University, Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (CASR) acting in place of the Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change (SHESC), has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.