# Notice of Intended Repatriation: Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
**AGENCY:**
National Park Service, Interior.
**ACTION:**
Notice.
**SUMMARY:**
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 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 April 15, 2026.
**ADDRESSES:**
Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to Cristin Lucas, Repatriation Coordinator, Arizona State Museum, 1013 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721-0026, telephone (520) 626-0320, email *[email protected].*
**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 Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 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 15 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The 15 unassociated funerary objects are ceramic pitchers and ceramic bowls. In March 1937, Byron Cummings, Professor of Archaeology at the University of Arizona and Director of the Arizona State Museum (ASM), excavated a site in the vicinity of Brooklyn Mine and Cordes, Yavapai County, Arizona. Cummings made no formal recording of the site, which he referred to as Brookline Ruin (also designated in collections as AZ O:13:—), but catalog cards indicate the items were removed from funerary features. The cultural items are identified as Hohokam. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of two cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The two unassociated funerary objects are a ceramic jar-bowl and a ceramic bowl. In September 1929, John Hughes and George Dennis excavated AZ O:15:61(ASM) for the Gila Pueblo Archaeological Foundation (Gila Pueblo). The site, located at Hickcox 71 Ranch in Round Valley, Gila County, Arizona, was described as a habitation area featuring a pueblo of at least 50 rooms. In October 1929, Gila Pueblo purchased the collection of cultural items removed from AZ O:15:61(ASM). These collections represent Hohokam and Sinagua archaeological traditions. On December 16, 1950, all collections previously held by Gila Pueblo that had not yet been dispositioned, including cultural items from this site, were donated to the Arizona State Museum upon the Foundation's closure. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of 35 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The 35 unassociated funerary objects are a ceramic canteen, ceramic bowls, ceramic jars, ceramic mugs, ceramic pitchers, shell rings, shell bracelets, an awl, pendants, a needle, and a projectile point. Prior to October 1929, John Hughes and George Dennis excavated AZ O:15:62(ASM) for the Gila Pueblo Archaeological Foundation (Gila Pueblo). The site was located at Booth Ranch, west of Tonto Creek and south of the Gisela schoolhouse in Gila County, Arizona. AZ O:15:62(ASM) is described in records as a Salado habitation site featuring a 100-room compound pueblo. In October 1929, Gila Pueblo purchased the collections removed from AZ O:15:62(ASM) by Hughes and Dennis. On December 16, 1950, all collections previously held by Gila Pueblo that had not yet been dispositioned, including cultural items from this site, were donated to the Arizona State Museum upon the Foundation's closure. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of 37 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The 37 unassociated funerary objects are ceramic bowls, ceramic jars, ceramic pitchers, unworked shell, shell bracelets, a stone drill, a stone projectile point, and a stone bead. On October 12, 1929, John Hughes and George Dennis excavated AZ O:15:63(ASM). The site location is recorded as Armer Ranch, south of the Gisela schoolhouse and west of Tonto Creek in Gila County, Arizona. AZ O:15:63(ASM) was described as a Hohokam and Salado habitation area featuring a 50-room pueblo and a possible compound wall. In October 1929, Gila Pueblo purchased the collections removed from AZ O:15:63(ASM) by Hughes and Dennis. On December 16, 1950, all collections previously held by Gila Pueblo that had not yet been dispositioned, including cultural items from this site, were donated to the Arizona State Museum upon the Foundation's closure. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of one cultural item has been requested for repatriation. The one unassociated funerary object is a shell bracelet. On a date prior to November 17, 1967, a site (designated in collections as AZ U:8:—[ASM] Blades) was encountered in Gila or Maricopa County, Arizona, by a private citizen. The site was described as a Hohokam or Salado cliff dwelling in the Tonto National Forest area. On November 17, 1967, the private citizen donated the collected cultural item to the Arizona State Museum. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the item in this collection.
A total of two cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The two unassociated funerary objects are turquoise pendants. Prior to February 1927, Lyndon Hargrave excavated a site (designated in collections as AZ U:8:—[ASM] Roosevelt Lake District) in the Roosevelt Lake district of Gila or Maricopa County, Arizona. In February 1927, the Arizona State Museum (ASM) purchased the cultural items, which were described by Hargrave as funerary belongings. No additional site information could be located within archival records housed at ASM, but the cultural items are designated as Hohokam/Salado on catalog cards. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of three cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The three unassociated funerary objects are a shell bead necklace, a stone bead necklace, and shell tinklers.
On a date prior to June 1927, a site (designated in collections as AZ U:8:—Welker) was encountered by Harry Welker near Roosevelt, Gila County, Arizona. Welker removed cultural items from the site and later sold them to the Arizona State Museum in June 1927. The cultural items, stated to have come from funerary features, represent Hohokam and Salado archaeological traditions. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of four cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The four unassociated funerary objects are a ceramic figurine, a lithic drill fragment, and lithic projectile points. On an unknown date prior to November 1930, Ventry Steward excavated a site (designated in collections as AZ V:1:—[ASM]/AZ C:1:68[GP]) for the Gila Pueblo Archaeological Foundation (Gila Pueblo). The site was described as a collapsed pueblo located west of McFadden Horse Mountain at Circle Ranch in Gila County, Arizona. In November 1930, Steward sold the cultural items removed from the site to Gila Pueblo. The items were later cataloged as Mogollon. On December 16, 1950, all collections previously held by Gila Pueblo that had not been previously dispositioned, including cultural items from this site, were donated to the Arizona State Museum upon the Foundation's closure. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of two cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The two unassociated funerary objects are ceramic bowls. On an unknown date prior to February 1927, Lyndon Hargrave excavated a site designated as Ruin 10 (Hargrave) in Gila or Maricopa County, Arizona. Catalog cards list the site location as Dillinger Ranch in the Roosevelt Lake district, though a more specific location could not be determined. In February 1927, Hargrave sold the cultural items removed from the site to the Arizona State Museum. The cultural items represent the Salado archaeological tradition. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of four cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The four unassociated funerary objects are ceramic jars. On an unknown date prior to February 1927, Lyndon Hargrave excavated a site designated as Ruin 15 (Hargrave) in an unknown location on the east side of Trough Wash in the Roosevelt Lake District, Gila or Maricopa County, Arizona. In February 1927, Hargrave sold the cultural items removed from the site to the Arizona State Museum. The collection represents Hohokam and Salado archaeological traditions. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
A total of three cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The three unassociated funerary objects are a ceramic bowl, a ceramic jar, and a ceramic scoop. On an unknown date prior to February 1927, Lyndon Hargrave excavated a site designated as Ruin 4 (Hargrave) in an unknown location in either Gila or Maricopa County, Arizona. Catalog cards list the site location as the east side of Trough Wash in the Roosevelt Lake District. In February 1927, Hargrave sold the cultural items removed from the site to the Arizona State Museum. The collection represents Hohokam and Salado archaeological traditions. There are no documented applications of hazardous substances for the items in this collection.
**Determinations**
The Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, has determined that:
• The 108 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.
• There is a reasonable connection between the cultural items described in this notice and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona.
**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 April 15, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 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 Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 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: March 5, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.