Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Notice for Shelburne Museum

The Shelburne Museum has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The museum has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and several Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects may occur on or after August 27, 2025. The museum is requesting written requests for repatriation from the identified tribes and organizations.

Key Takeaways:

• The Shelburne Museum has identified human remains representing at least one individual of Native American ancestry.
• The Ancestor was removed from an unknown location, possibly New York, by an unknown individual in the early 20th century.
• The 13 associated funerary objects were acquired by the Shelburne Museum in 1960 from Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Allison.
• The museum has determined that the human remains and associated funerary objects are culturally affiliated with the Cayuga Nation, Delaware Nation, Oklahoma, Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oneida Indian Nation, Oneida Nation, Onondaga Nation, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, Seneca Nation of Indians, Seneca-Cayuga Nation, Shinnecock Indian Nation, Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin, Tonawanda Band of Seneca, and the Tuscarora Nation.
• Written requests for repatriation must be sent to Alexander Kikutis, Shelburne Museum, P.O. Box 10, Shelburne, Vermont 05482, email nagpra@shelburnemuseum.org.
• Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any one or more of the identified Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, or their lineal descendants.
• Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects may occur on or after August 27, 2025.

Statistics:

• At least one individual of Native American ancestry is represented by the human remains.
• The Ancestor was removed from an unknown location, possibly New York, by an unknown individual in the early 20th century.
• The 13 associated funerary objects include one lot obsidian points, darts, and modified flakes, one lot worked lithic debitage, one lot ground stone tools, one animal bone awl, one lot faunal fragments, one lot missed material, one lot wood fragments with possible paint residue, one staurolite cruciform, one lot lithic points, one lot unclassified lithics, one agate, one corrugated pot sherd, and one rectangular rounded pot sherd.
• Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects may occur on or after August 27, 2025.

Sources:

• Federal Register, Volume 90, Number 136, July 2, 2025, [FR Doc. 2025-14155 Filed 7-25-25; 8:45 am]
• National Park Service, Interior, "Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Notice", Federal Register, 90 FR 35554, July 2, 2025.