Notice2025-07438
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN, and Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS
Primary source
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Published
April 30, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology (UTK) and the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) have completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and have determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 82 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17958-17959]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07438]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040032; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Tennessee,
Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN, and Kansas State Historical
Society, Topeka, KS
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, Department of
Anthropology (UTK) and the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) have
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects
and have determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the
human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after May 30, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Ellen Lofaro, University of Tennessee, 5723 Middlebrook
Pike, Knoxville, TN 37921, telephone (865) 974-3370, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8de3eceafdffeccdf8f9e6a3e8e9f8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="214f40465153406154554a0f444554">[email protected]</span></a> and Dr. Nicole Klarmann, Kansas State Historical
Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615, telephone (785) 272-
8681, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#abc5c2c0c0c285c0c7cad9c6cac5c5ebc0d885ccc4dd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abc5c2c0c0c285c0c7cad9c6cac5c5ebc0d885ccc4dd">[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 KSHS, and additional information on the determinations in this
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been
identified. These individuals were removed from the Kansas Monument
site, 14RP1, in
[[Page 17959]]
Republic County, KS at an unknown date by an unknown individual. The
first known excavations of the 14RP1 site occurred in 1926 and many
additional excavations occurred after this date. The 14RP1 site is a
known Pawnee village site occupied by the Kitkahahki Band. The 14RP1
site dates to circa 1770-1830 CE with possible earlier occupations.
Based on a past pattern of practice, it is likely that William Bass
brought these human remains with him from the University of Kansas when
he began working at UTK in 1971.
The 22 associated funerary objects are pieces of sandstone and
chert. In March of 2024, loaned collections from site 14RP1 were
returned to KSHS by an emeritus professor from the University of
Kansas. A small bag of lithics from the `burial and burial area' was
included (UBS 2024-02). A graduate student had analyzed these items for
a thesis but failed to notify the professor of their context and
location after analysis. They were later found and returned to KSHS to
be included with other 14RP1 items. Human remains from this site have
already been repatriated by KSHS. To our knowledge, no potentially
hazardous substances have been used to treat any of the associated
funerary objects.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available
about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in
this notice. Cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian
Tribes listed in this notice was established via archaeological,
geographical, and historical information, oral tradition, and Native
American Traditional knowledge/Expert Opinion. Republic County, KS is
part of the aboriginal lands of Kaw Nation, Oklahoma and Pawnee Nation
of Oklahoma.
Determinations
UTK and KSHS have determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 22 objects described in this notice are reasonably
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite
or ceremony.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Kaw
Nation, Oklahoma and the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES.
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with
cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after May 30,
2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the UTK and
KSHS must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not
competing requests. The UTK and KSHS are responsible for sending a copy
of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: April 15, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-07438 Filed 4-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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