In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, part of Harvard University, plans to return two sacred cultural items to the Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico. These items, a shield and a cover, were originally acquired from the community by Mr. Sprigelburg, then bought by Dr. Samuel Kirkland Lothrop in 1915, and donated to the museum in 1916. Requests for repatriation can be made by any individual or group who can prove they are related to the artefacts, and the repatriation process may start as early as January 17, 2025. The museum will handle requests and make determinations for the most appropriate recipient if there are multiple requests.
Simple Explanation
The Peabody Museum wants to give back two special items, a shield and a cover, to the Pueblo of Santa Ana in New Mexico, starting in January 2025, because they are important to the tribe's culture and were taken a long time ago. This process follows a law called NAGPRA, which helps return sacred items to Native American tribes.