Notice2025-14272

Notice of Intended Repatriation: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN

Primary source

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Published
July 29, 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) intends to repatriate a certain cultural item from Lincoln County, Tennessee that meets the definition of an unassociated funerary object and that has 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 143 (Tuesday, July 29, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 29, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35718-35719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14272]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6350; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040605; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Tennessee Department of 
Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 35719]]

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) intends to repatriate 
a certain cultural item from Lincoln County, Tennessee that meets the 
definition of an unassociated funerary object and that has a cultural 
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in 
this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or 
after August 28, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural item in this notice to Phillip R. Hodge, Tennessee Department 
of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, 1216 Foster 
Avenue, Cole Building #3, Nashville, TN 37243, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e6b68e8f8ac8ae89828183a69288c8818990"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="104078797c3e587f74777550647e3e777f66">[email&#160;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 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 one cultural item has been requested for repatriation.

Site 40LN163, Lincoln County, TN

    Unassociated funerary objects consisting of one ceramic vessel. No 
information is available regarding the circumstances surrounding the 
acquisition of this artifact. There is no known exposure to hazardous 
substances or treatments.

Determinations

    The TDEC-DOA has determined that:
    <bullet> The one unassociated funerary object described in this 
notice is 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 Native Hawaiian organization.
    <bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural item 
described in this notice and the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Cherokee Nation; Eastern 
Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Poarch 
Band of Creek Indians; Shawnee Tribe; The Chickasaw Nation; The 
Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and the United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item 
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 item in this notice to a requestor may 
occur on or after August 28, 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 cultural item 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 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: July 9, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-14272 Filed 7-28-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on July 29, 2025.

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