Notice2025-10013
Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 3, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology (TDEC-DOA) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 3, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 3, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23557-23558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10013]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040241; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 23558]]
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation, Division of Archaeology (TDEC-DOA) has completed an
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has
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 July 3, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Phillip R. Hodge,
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of
Archaeology (TDEC-DOA), 1216 Foster Avenue, Cole Building #3,
Nashville, TN 37243, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#72021a1b1e5c1a1d16151732061c5c151d04"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2c2dadbde9cdaddd6d5d7f2c6dc9cd5ddc4">[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 the
TDEC-DOA, 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, seven individuals and 15
associated funerary objects have been identified.
Site 40LA26, Lauderdale County, TN
Human remains representing, at least, one individual and one lot of
associated funerary objects consisting of unanalyzed faunal material.
No information is available regarding the collection or donation of
these materials. There is no known exposure to hazardous substances or
treatments.
Unknown Sites, Lauderdale County, TN
Human remains representing, at least, two individuals and 12
associated funerary objects. Ancestral remains of one individual were
donated to the Tennessee State Museum (TSM 8.571.1, TSM 8.571B) and
transferred to TDEC-DOA in 2021, along with one associated funerary
object consisting of a ceramic urn. Ancestral remains of at least one
individual were donated to TDEC-DOA in 1979 along with 11 associated
funerary objects consisting of 10 ceramic vessels and one stone gorget.
No additional information is available regarding the circumstances of
collection or location of origin. There is no known exposure to
hazardous substances or treatments.
Unknown Site, Shelby County, TN
Human remains representing, at least, one individual. These remains
were donated by the Shelby County Medical Examiner Regional Forensic
Center to TDEC-DOA in 2006. No information is available on the original
archaeological context of these materials or circumstances surrounding
their collection. There is no known exposure to hazardous substances or
treatments.
Unknown Sites, Tipton County, TN
Human remains representing, at least, three individuals and two
lotted associated funerary objects. Ancestral remains at least, one
individual was donated to TDEC-DOA by a private museum in 2022. No
information is available on the original archaeological context of
these materials or circumstances surrounding their collection.
Ancestral remains of, at least, two individuals, one lot of associated
funerary objects consisting of faunal material, and one lot of
associated funerary objects consisting of lithic material found eroding
from the bank of the Hatchie River were donated to TDEC-DOA by a
private individual in 2024. There is no known exposure to hazardous
substances or treatments.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated
funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The TDEC-DOA has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of seven individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 15 associated funerary 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 Quapaw
Nation and The Chickasaw Nation.
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 July 3,
2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the TDEC-DOA
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 TDEC-DOA is 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: May 21, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-10013 Filed 6-2-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 3, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.