Notice2026-02021
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 4604-4606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02021]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6906; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041936; 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, State
Historic Preservation Office, 400 North Street, Floor 2, Harrisburg, PA
17120, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#582830353b36393f282a39182839763f372e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="681800050b06090f181a09281809460f071e">[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.
[[Page 4605]]
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 11 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.
In the late 19th or early 20th century one lot of unassociated
funerary object were removed from various locations in Berks County, PA
by Henry K. Deisher. The unassociated funerary objects are personal
adornments, pipes, groundstone, chipped stone, and a metal tool. These
items have been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 1917
under accession 60.26.
In 1951 one lot of unassociated funerary objects were removed from
Pemberton Family Cemetery (36Bu179) in Bucks County, PA by State Museum
of Pennsylvania. The unassociated funerary objects are a gunflint and
metal trade items. These items have been housed at The State Museum of
Pennsylvania since 1951 under accession 84.24.
In the mid-20th century one unassociated funerary object was
removed from an unknown location in Bucks, Chester, or Lancaster
County, PA by Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Lenape Chapter 12.
The unassociated funerary object is a pipe. These items have been
housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2004 under non-site
number 36PA0000/210 and accession 2004.64.
In the late 19th or early 20th century one lot of unassociated
funerary objects were removed from the Lehigh Gap site in Carbon
County, PA by Henry K. Deisher. The unassociated funerary objects are
personal adornments. These items have been housed at The State Museum
of Pennsylvania since 1917 under accession 60.26. An unknown number of
items may be missing from this collection and PHMC staff continue to
look for them.
In 1931, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were removed from
Shawnee on Delaware in Monroe County, PA by Max Schrabisch. The
unassociated funerary objects are pottery. These items have been housed
at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 1931 under accession 60.22. 1
object was identified as missing from this collection in 2005 and it
remains missing. PHMC staff continue to look for this object. In
addition to the requesting Nations, this item has a connection to
Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of
Oklahoma; and Shawnee Tribe.
From 1961-1965, one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from Michaels site (36Mr7) in Monroe County, PA by Society for
Pennsylvania Archaeology, Forks of the Delaware Chapter 14. The
unassociated funerary objects are personal adornments, a pipe,
groundstone, chipped stone, and pottery. These items have been housed
at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 2013 under accession 2014.53.
In addition to the requesting Nations, these items have a connection to
Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of
Oklahoma; and Shawnee Tribe.
In 1931 one unassociated funerary object was removed from a cave in
Monroe County, PA by M.P. Brong. The unassociated funerary object is
pottery. This item has been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania
since c. 1931 under accession 2025.68.
In the late 19th or early 20th century one lot of unassociated
funerary objects were removed from various locations in Northampton
County, PA by Henry K. Deisher. The unassociated funerary objects are
chipped stone, metal items, and a leather pouch. These items have been
housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since 1917 under accession
60.26. An unknown number of items may be missing from this collection
and PHMC staff continue to look for them.
From 1959-1967 one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from Sampson's Field No. 1 site (36Nm34) in Northampton County,
PA by Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Forks of the Delaware
Chapter 14. The unassociated funerary objects are personal adornments.
These items have been housed at The State Museum of Pennsylvania since
2013 under accession 2014.53.
In c. 1931 one lot of unassociated funerary objects were removed
from various locations in Wayne County, PA by Max Schrabisch. The
unassociated funerary objects are pipes, pottery, faunal remains,
groundstone, and chipped stone. These items have been housed at The
State Museum of Pennsylvania since 1931 under accession 60.22. An
unknown number of items may be missing from this collection and PHMC
staff continue to look for them.
In the 19th century one lot of unassociated funerary objects were
removed from the Wyoming Valley region of Pennsylvania, likely in
Luzerne County, by Steuben Jenkins. The unassociated funerary objects
are pipes, pottery, personal adornments, groundstone, modified faunal
remains, and chipped stone. These items have been housed at The State
Museum of Pennsylvania since 1923 under accession 72.115. An unknown
number of items may be missing from this collection and PHMC staff
continue to look for them. In addition to the requesting Nations, these
items have a connection to Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of
Oklahoma; Cayuga Nation; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Oneida
Indian Nation; Oneida Nation; Onondaga Nation; Saint Regis Mohawk
Tribe; Seneca Nation of Indians; Seneca-Cayuga Nation; Shawnee Tribe;
Tonawanda Band of Seneca; and the Tuscarora Nation.
Determinations
The State Museum of Pennsylvania has determined that:
<bullet> The 11 lots 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 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
[[Page 4606]]
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. 2026-02021 Filed 1-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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