Federal Register #2026-08774

Repatriation Notice for Cultural Item at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This notice concerns the intended repatriation of a cultural item by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY: - Government buyer: - National Park Service, Department of the Interior - Involved parties: - The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) - The Chickasaw Nation (cultural affiliation) - Item for repatriation: - Quartz sandstone male figure crouching on one knee (former Met accession number 1979.206.476) - Identified as an unassociated funerary object - Found on the banks of Duck River, Humphreys County, Tennessee - Believed to have been used in ancestor veneration - Notable requirements: - Repatriation requests must be submitted as outlined in the notice - The Met is responsible for determining the most appropriate requestor if there are competing claims - Action is conducted under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) - No products or services are being procured or awarded; this is a repatriation action, not a procurement opportunity.

Description

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) intends to repatriate a cultural item that is an unassociated funerary object with cultural affiliation to The Chickasaw Nation. The item is a quartz sandstone male figure crouching on one knee, believed to have been used in ancestor veneration and found in the traditional homelands of The Chickasaw Nation in Tennessee. Repatriation may occur on or after June 4, 2026. Requests for repatriation must be sent to the authorized representative at The Met.

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