Tribal Historic
PReservation Office
Collections
Collections
The THPO Collections section has two important roles. The first, deals with artifact analysis and curation of over 500,000 objects that have been carefully recovered through archaeological surveys on the Seminole Tribe’s reservation lands. The second focuses on Repatriation and the Seminole Tribe’s constant battle to have its ancestors returned. Finally, the third concentrates on Research that aids the THPO in its endeavor to help the Seminole Tribe tell their story. For NAGPRA and FL Statute 872 inquires, please contact THPOcompliance@semtribe.com.
“All objects, all phases of culture are alive. They have voices. They speak of their history and interrelatedness. And they are all talking at once!”
Camille Paglia
Visit our Artifact of the Month page to view artifact highlights from the collections!
"The Future of archaeology is in excavating the collection." --Terry S. Childs (2004)
Repatriation Committee
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law that was passed in 1990 to provide a process for museums and federal agencies to return certain Native American cultural items -- human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony -- to lineal descendants, and culturally affiliated Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. The Collections and Compliance staff works together with cultural advisors, the Tribal Council and museums across the country to bring tribal ancestors home.
Archaeological Collection
The Collections staff is tasked with determining the most accurate identification of objects that are collected on Tribal land by the Tribal Archaeology Section (TAS) during Phase I and II archaeological investigations. The Collections department is currently curating over 500,000 objects, which include animal remains, historic pottery fragments, and historic bottles that are found on reservations owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe. The species of animal bone that are found on reservation typically include turtle and snake remains, while some excavations produce larger animal remains such as bobcat, deer, and bear. The Collections staff has also identified rare projectile points and pottery sherds, which can be found in the Artifact of the Month articles.
For more information, please contact the Collections Staff:
Additional Note: Please do not mail artifact donations of any kind to the Tribal Historic Preservation Office or Collections Staff. Donations are meticulously regulated by Tribal Policy and cannot be received through mail. If you have any questions about the donation of artifacs, please contact the Collections Manager directly. Thank you for your understanding.
Meet the Collections Team!
Born and raised in Florida, Adriana graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology in 2021. After graduating, she worked in the field of GIS before shifting focus to Collections. Adriana has been with the THPO since 2023.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Sydney relocated to Erie, Pennsylvania, to attend Mercyhurst University, where she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Forensic Science with a concentration in anthropology in 2024. She continued her education at Mercyhurst University, completing her Master’s of Science in Biological and Forensic Anthropology in 2026. During her graduate studies, she worked directly with local and state agencies to recover, analyze, and identify human remains. Sydney has been with the THPO since 2026.
Collections Assistant
Shane graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2018 with a BA in Anthropology. After that he went on the road to work for multiple cultural resource management firms. He officially relocated from South Carolina to Florida in 2023 to work for the THPO. Shane has been with the THPO since 2023.
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