UC San Diego to Repatriate Ancestral Remains Under NAGPRA
The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) has completed an inventory of Native American human remains and will initiate repatriation efforts in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The repatriation process is slated to commence on or after April 17, 2026.
Background
Between 1989 and 1992, ancestral remains representing at least 97 individuals were excavated from archaeological sites in Amelia Island (Nassau County), Leon County, Alachua County, Duval County and Columbia County, Florida. The excavations were conducted by Dr. Clark Larsen of the University of North Carolina, in collaboration with the University of Florida—Florida Museum of Natural History. Subsequently, isolates from these individuals were transferred to Dr. Margaret Schoeninger at UC San Diego for isotopic analysis.
The remains represent individuals from the following groups:
- At least 43 individuals from the Amelia Island vicinity in Nassau County, Florida.
- At least 25 individuals from various archaeological sites in Leon County, Florida.
- At least four individuals from an archaeological site in Alachua County, Florida.
- At least 15 individuals from various archaeological sites in Duval County, Florida.
- At least 10 individuals from an archaeological site in Columbia County, Florida.
No hazardous substances were used in the treatment of the remains, and no associated funerary objects were present.
Cultural Affiliation and Determinations
UC San Diego has determined that the human remains are of Native American ancestry and have a cultural affiliation with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, based on their geographical origin. The University of Florida-Florida Museum of Natural History will collaborate with UC San Diego to coordinate repatriation efforts.
Repatriation Process
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains must be sent to Eva Trujillo, Repatriation Coordinator, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, or via email at e7trujillo@ucsd.edu.
Requests may be submitted by:
- Any one or more of the identified Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations.
- Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not initially identified, provided they can demonstrate cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence.
In the event of competing requests, UC San Diego will determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation. Joint repatriation requests will be considered as a single request.
About NAGPRA
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law passed in 1990 to address the treatment of Native American human remains and cultural items. Learn more about NAGPRA at UC San Diego. The University of San Diego is similarly committed to NAGPRA. California has its own implementation of NAGPRA (CalNAGPRA), overseen by the California Native American Heritage Commission.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service’s administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations are the sole responsibility of the University of California San Diego.
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