Bone Fragment Report Sent To Regional Tribes

A report has been completed and sent to regional Indian tribes about human bone fragments stored at the Idaho Museum of Natural History in Pocatello.

The report was sent to the Shoshone-Bannocks, Nez Perce, Hopi, Duck Water Shoshone, Northwestern Band of Shoshone, Shoshone-Paiutes at Duck Valley and other tribes, said Sharon Holmer, museum anthropology collections manager.

The report was done to comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The tribes may request the bone fragments from the museum. No requests have been received yet, Holmer said.

The museum is handling about 30 cases that involve bone fragments, Holmer said.

Many bones or fragments have been at the museum for decades, since before records were kept. Some might have been dug up when a farmer plowed a field or when roads were built.