Notice2025-20108
Notice of Inventory Completion: Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
Primary source
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Published
November 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Heard Museum 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51786-51787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20108]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6590; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041299; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Heard Museum 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.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after December 18, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to David Roche,
Director/CEO, Heard Museum, 2301 N Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004,
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cf8f5eef9ffe8f3eedcf4f9fdeef8b2f3eefb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5c1ccd7c0c6d1cad7e5cdc0c4d7c18bcad7c2">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
Heard Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing at least two individuals have been
identified. The one lot of associated funerary objects are Olivella
shell beads, turquoise and shell pendants, disc beads, burned worked
(faunal) bone, whole shell beads, points, stone beads and pendants,
worked stone, conus tinkler fragment, Glycymeris shell bracelet
fragments, worked ceramic pieces, shell disc beads, a faunal bone bead
awl. Circumstances and date of acquisition unknown. 159: A display
frame containing teeth from the minimum of two individuals and the one
lot of associated funerary objects was located during the 1990-1991
full collections inventory. No information was located in the original
Heard catalogue. Consultation in 2023 determined the need for further
research on pottery type of the worked ceramic pieces. No pottery
identification was concluded but the volume of Glycymeris shell
bracelet fragments was noteworthy. Exposure to hazardous substances is
unlikely.
Human remains representing at least one individual have been
identified. The one lot of associated funerary objects are plain and
redware pottery sherds, a stone rasp for shell jewelry manufacture, and
a perforated raptor claw. Circumstances and date of acquisition
unknown. 3288-4: A box containing the minimum one individual and one
lot of associated funerary objects was discovered and subsequently
accessioned during the 1990-1991 full collections inventory. No
information was located in the original Heard catalogue. Consultation
in 2023 determined the need for further research on pottery type and
raptor identification. The stone tool was also identified at this time.
Exposure to hazardous substances is unlikely.
Human remains representing at least one individual have been
identified. The one lot of associated funerary objects are a charred
awl and animal bone. Circumstances and date of acquisition unknown.
3288-5: A box containing charred bones from the minimum one individual
and one lot of associated funerary objects was discovered and
subsequently accessioned during the 1990-1991 full collections
inventory. No information was located in the original Heard catalogue.
Exposure to hazardous substances is unlikely.
Human remains representing at least one individual have been
identified. The one associated funerary object is a Glycymeris shell
bracelet fragment. Circumstances and date of acquisition unknown. 3288-
6: The cremated bone and shell bracelet fragment was discovered and
subsequently accessioned during the 1990-1991 full collections
inventory. No information was located in the original Heard catalogue.
Consultation in 2002 ruled out a Plains cultural affiliation. Exposure
to hazardous substances is unlikely.
Human remains representing at least one individual have been
identified. The one lot of associated funerary objects are pottery
sherds, a spindle
[[Page 51787]]
whorl, a stone pallet fragment, coral, oyster shell, Glycymeris shell,
and historic pottery sherds and plaster. Circumstances of acquisition
unknown, date of acquisition is estimated. 4368-1: Container(s) with
the minimum one individual and one lot of associated funerary objects
were discovered and subsequently accessioned during the 1990-1991 full
collections inventory. No information was located in the original Heard
catalogue. Consultation in 2023 determined the need for further
research on origin of the associated funerary objects. Most objects
suggest a geographic location of the southwestern U.S. in general and
Phoenix, AZ in particular. Exposure to hazardous substances is
unlikely.
Human remains representing at least one individual have been
identified. The one associated funerary object is a Golden Eagle skull.
Circumstances and date of acquisition unknown. NA-SW-PR-T-2: A box
containing the minimum one individual and associated Golden Eagle skull
was discovered and subsequently accessioned during the 1990-1991 full
collections inventory. Consultation in 2023 led to the identification
of the bird skull as Golden Eagle, from southern Arizona. Exposure to
hazardous substances is unlikely.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated
funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The Heard Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of seven individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The six objects described in this notice are reasonably
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite
or ceremony.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Gila River
Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES.
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with
cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after December
18, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the
Heard Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not
competing requests. The Heard Museum is responsible for sending a copy
of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: September 30, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-20108 Filed 11-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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