Collections
Collections
The THPO Collections section is broken up into three facets. 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 research inquiries, please contact THPOresearch@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
The Seminole Site File and Tribal Register of Historic Places
The Collections Section is also responsible for maintaining the Seminole Site File, a repository for the tribe’s cultural resource information (i.e. archaeological sites, traditional cultural properties, historic buildings and structures). The Site File provides the Tribe the ability to manage its extant cultural resources in an appropriate manner, and has broad implications for its cultural and economic well-being. The Site File also includes the Tribal Register of Historic Places (TRHP), the top tier of the Site File. While the TRHP has several similarities to the National Register of Historic Places, it’s criteria for the preservation of exceptionally significant sites has been tailored to meet the specific needs of the Tribe.
Research
The Research section performs the historic and academic research needed to best support and accurately tell the story of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and their ancestors. They also work to provide outreach to the public, work with academic communities, and promote the decolonization of history. If you have questions or are looking to perform research with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, please fill out the form below, or email us at THPOresearch@semtribe.com
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!
Collections Manager
Domonique received her BA from the University of California, Irvine and her MSc in Skeletal and Dental Bioarchaeology from the University College London. She went on to study Collections Management with the George Washington University. She has been with the THPO since 2011.
Senior Bioarchaeologist
After growing up on Long Island, Sam headed upstate and earned her BA in Anthropology from SUNY Oneonta. She moved to Florida in 2011 and received her MS in Forensic Studies with a concentration in Human Identity and Trauma Analysis from Florida Gulf Coast University. Sam has been with the THPO since 2017.
Senior Research Coordinator
Dave graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a BA in History, and from Texas Tech with a Master’s in Anthropology. He has worked on historic and prehistoric archaeological sites in Texas, Ecuador, and Zimbabwe before returning to Florida. Dave has been with the THPO since 2015.
Collections Assistant
Originally from Miami, Jen received her BA in History from Florida Atlantic University. She has certificates in Latin American Studies with a focus on Indigenous History and in Museum Studies. Currently, Jen is pursuing a Master’s in History at FAU and is passionate about research, exhibit design, and historic preservation. Jen has been with the THPO since 2021.
