Notice of Inventory Completion: Marshall University NAGPRA Human Remains and Funerary Objects

Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia has completed a formal inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects held in its collections, as required under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). This federal law mandates that institutions receiving federal funding conduct systematic inventories of Native American cultural items and human remains in their possession. Following the completion of this inventory, Marshall University has determined that a demonstrable cultural affiliation exists between the inventoried human remains and associated funerary objects and one or more federally recognized Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. This determination is a prerequisite for initiating the repatriation process under NAGPRA. The notice serves as a formal public declaration that Marshall University is now obligated to notify the affiliated tribes or organizations and, upon request, must expeditiously repatriate the human remains and funerary objects to the rightful cultural successors. Affiliated tribes have the right to request repatriation of these items. This notice is published in the Federal Register to ensure transparency and to allow any potentially affiliated tribes or organizations not yet identified to come forward and assert their interests within the legally required timeframe.

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