Iowa Archaeologists Prepare Ancestral Remains for Tribal Return
Published Date: 10/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The University of Iowa’s Office of the State Archaeologist has finished checking out some very old Native American human remains found in Iowa. They’ve confirmed these remains belong to a Native American individual and are ready to return them to the right tribes starting November 23, 2026. If you want to request the remains, you can contact the university soon—no money changes hands, just respect and care.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation available beginning November 23, 2026
You (an eligible tribe or lineal descendant) may request repatriation of the human remains described in this notice on or after November 23, 2026. Written requests must be sent to Dr. Lara Noldner, Office of the State Archaeologist Bioarchaeology Program, University of Iowa, 700 S Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA 52242, or by email to [email protected].
Tribes identified as culturally affiliated
The Office of the State Archaeologist identified a cultural affiliation between the human remains and the following tribes: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; Citizen Potawatomi Nation; Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe; Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Lower Sioux Indian Community (Minnesota); Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Omaha Tribe of Nebraska; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation; Prairie Island Indian Community (Minnesota); Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa; Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska; Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate; Spirit Lake Tribe; The Osage Nation; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation; Upper Sioux Community (Minnesota); Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska; and Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Any one or more of these tribes may submit a written request for repatriation; other tribes or lineal descendants not listed may request repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are affiliated.
Remains details and handling information
The human remains represent at least one adult male Native American (catalog BP4083) collected in the Loess Hills near Pisgah, Iowa in the 1930s, found in the estate of Arthur Henderson in July 2026, transferred to the State Medical Examiner (IOSME#26-06865) where they were determined ancient, and then transferred to the Office of the State Archaeologist in late August 2026. There are no associated funerary objects present and no hazardous substances were used to treat the human remains.
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