Notice2025-04382
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Tennessee, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, Knoxville, TN
Primary source
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Published
March 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Tennessee, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture (UTK), intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 51 (Tuesday, March 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12556-12557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04382]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039516; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Tennessee, McClung
Museum of Natural History & Culture, Knoxville, TN
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Tennessee, McClung Museum
of Natural History & Culture (UTK), intends to repatriate certain
cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary
objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after April 17, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Ellen Lofaro, University of Tennessee, Office of
Repatriation, 5723 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37921-6053,
telephone (865) 974-3370, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4a242b2d3a382b0a3f3e21642f2e3f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="573936302725361722233c79323322">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of UTK,
and additional information on the determinations in this notice,
including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 57 lots of cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The 57 unassociated funerary objects are 28 lots of
ceramics, 27 lots of lithics, one lot of faunal remains, and one lot of
minerals. These funerary objects were removed from 40SW20, the ``Indian
Bluff'' site, in Stewart County, TN. They were removed between July-
October 1939, by Works Progress Administration (WPA) crews under the
direction of George W. Brainerd. After the 1939 excavation, they were
transferred to UTK. 40SW20 was a Mississippian Period, ``Middle
Cumberland Culture'' (~1000-1425 CE) site consisting of a mostly stone
box cemetery and a village on the east bank of the Cumberland River.
Cultural affiliation was determined through Tribal consultation. In
consultation, The Chickasaw Nation communicated their cultural
affiliation and specifically referenced geographic and historic
information: Treaty with the United States and the Chickasaws, 1805,
which shows that Stewart County, TN is part of the aboriginal homeland
of the Chickasaw people. To our knowledge, no potentially hazardous
substances were used to treat any of these objects.
Determinations
UTK has determined that:
<bullet> The 57 lots of unassociated funerary objects described in
this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally
with or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of
death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native
American culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge
of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or
[[Page 12557]]
Native Hawaiian organization. The unassociated funerary objects have
been identified by a preponderance of the evidence as related to human
remains, specific individuals, or families, or removed from a specific
burial site or burial area of an individual or individuals with
cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and The Chickasaw Nation.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after April 17, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, UTK must determine the most appropriate
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the
cultural items are considered a single request and not competing
requests. UTK is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this
notice and to any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: February 11, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-04382 Filed 3-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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