Notice2026-02020
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
Primary source
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Published
February 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), The State Museum of Pennsylvania intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 21 (Monday, February 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4601-4602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02020]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6905; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041935; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
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 State Museum of Pennsylvania intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of
unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after March 4, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Cherilyn Gilligan, PHMC, The State
Museum of Pennsylvania, 400 North Street, Floor 2, Harrisburg, PA
17120, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3141595c525f50564143507141501f565e47"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f7879f9a94999690878596b78796d9909881">[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
State Museum of Pennsylvania, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 10 lots of cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. Museum records do not indicate the use of hazardous
substances on any of these cultural items.
From 1969-1972, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from Minisink Island (28Sx28) in Sussex County, NJ by Society
for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12. The cultural items are
personal adornments, pipes, faunal, pottery, and groundstone. These
items have been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2013
under accession 2014.50.
From 1969-1972, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from Minisink Island (28Sx28) in Sussex County, NJ by Society
for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12. The unassociated
funerary objects are chipped stone, groundstone, pottery, unmodified
natural rock, pigment, charcoal, and pipes. These items have been
housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2004 under accession
2004.64.
From 1967-1968, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from the Bell-Browning Post/Bell-Philhower site (28Sx48) in
Sussex County, NJ by Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape
Chapter 12. The cultural items are faunal remains, chipped stone, and
pottery. These items have been housed at The State Museum of
Pennsylvania since 2004 under accession 2004.64.
From 1967-1968, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from the Bell-Browning Post/Bell-Philhower site (28Sx48) in
Sussex County, NJ by Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape
Chapter 12. The unassociated funerary objects are chipped stone,
groundstone, pottery, faunal remains, botanical remains, unmodified
natural rock, ochre, and charcoal. These items have been housed at The
State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2013 under accession 2014.50.
From 1967-1968, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from the Herring site (28Sx428) in Sussex County, NJ by The
Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12. The cultural
items are faunal remains, chipped stone, pottery, natural stones,
ochre, and charcoal. These items have been housed at The State Museum
of Pennsylvania since 2013 under accession 2014.50.
In the 1960s or 1970s one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from the Santos 2 site (36Pi2) in Pike County, PA by Society
for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12. The cultural items are
chipped, stone, pipes, and groundstone. These items have been housed at
The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2004 under accession 2004.64.
In the 1960s or 1970s one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from the Santos 2 site (36Pi2) in Pike County, PA and possibly
other sites in Sussex County, NJ by Society for Pennsylvania
Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12. The unassociated funerary objects are
pottery, groundstone, pipes, modified faunal material, chipped stone,
historic trade items, pigment, and personal adornments. These items
have been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2019 under
accession 2024.32.
In 2010, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were removed from
the Santos 2 site (36Pi2) in Pike County, PA by archaeological
consultant Gray & Pape, Inc. The unassociated funerary objects are
chipped stone, pottery, organic remains, groundstone, and charcoal.
These items have been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since
2013 under catalog 36PI0002/22-105.
In 1960 one lot of unassociated funerary objects were removed from
the Manna site (36Pi4) in Pike County, PA by Society for Pennsylvania
Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12. The cultural items are pipes, pottery,
and groundstone. These items have been housed at The State Museum of
Pennsylvania since 2004 under accession 2004.64.
In c. 1931 one lot of unassociated funerary objects were removed
from various locations in Pike County, PA by Max Schrabisch. The
cultural items are faunal remains, pottery, chipped stone, groundstone.
These items have been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since
1931 under accessions 60.22 and 08.5. An unknown number of items may be
missing from this collection and PHMC staff continue to look for them.
Determinations
The State Museum of Pennsylvania has determined that:
<bullet> The 10 lots of unassociated funerary objects described in
this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally
with or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of
death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native
American culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge
of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or
[[Page 4602]]
Native Hawaiian organization. The unassociated funerary objects have
been identified by a preponderance of the evidence as related to human
remains, specific individuals, or families, or removed from a specific
burial site or burial area of an individual or individuals with
cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of
Indians; and the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after March 4, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, The State Museum of Pennsylvania must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a
single request and not competing requests. The State Museum of
Pennsylvania is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this
notice and to any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: January 22, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-02020 Filed 1-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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