Notice2025-15856
Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN, and University of Tennessee, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, Knoxville, TN
Primary source
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Published
August 20, 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) and the University of Tennessee, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture (UTK) have completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects from Carter County, TN, 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 159 (Wednesday, August 20, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 20, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40646-40647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15856]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6432; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040839; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN,
and 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 Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation, Division of Archaeology (TDEC-DOA) and the University of
Tennessee, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture (UTK) have
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects
from Carter County, TN, 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 September 19, 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#f4a49c9d98dabc9b909391b4809ada939b82"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b8e8d0d1d496f0d7dcdfddf8ccd696dfd7ce">[email protected]</span></a>, and Dr. Ellen Lofaro,
University of Tennessee (UTK), 5723 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN
37996, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6989791868497b683829dd8939283"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4f212e283f3d2e0f3a3b24612a2b3a">[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 responsibility of TDEC-DOA
and UTK, 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
Site 40CR3, Carter County, TN
Human remains representing, at least, 23 individuals have been
identified. The 48 associated funerary objects are 13 lots of ceramics,
13 lots of faunal remains, five lots of botanical material, five lots
of daub, nine lots of lithics, two lot of soils, and one lot of
historic material. 40CR3 is a multi-component, early to middle Woodland
site (~BCE 1000-1000 CE).
Human remains representing, at least, two individuals were offered
for sale in 2004 as part of a family estate auction. At the request of
the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, then Tennessee State
Archaeologist Nick Fielder inspected the auction inventory and
identified these ancestral remains, which were seized and transferred
to TDEC-DOA. No associated funerary objects are present. To the best of
our knowledge, no potentially hazardous substances were used to treat
these remains.
Human remains representing, at least, 15 individuals and 20 lots of
associated funerary objects were removed from 40CR3. Based on available
information, these individuals were likely all removed in 1962 by
members of the Tennessee Archaeological Society (TAS). The 20 lots of
associated funerary objects include seven lots of ceramics, eight lots
of faunal remains, four lots of lithics, and one lot of soils. The
individuals and materials removed by TAS were subsequently transferred
to UTK. To the best of our knowledge, no potentially hazardous
substances were used to treat these remains.
Human remains representing, at least, six individuals and 28 lots
of associated funerary objects were removed from 40CR3 in 1982. The 28
associated funerary objects include five lots of botanical material,
six lots of ceramics, five lots of daub, five lots of faunal remains,
one lot of historic material, five lots of lithics, and one lot of
soil. These individuals were removed in 1982 by UTK archaeologists
under contract to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).
The human remains and other materials were transferred to UTK following
removal. They were relocated to East Tennessee State University (ETSU)
at an unknown date, where they were housed until 2024 when they were
transferred back to UTK. The remains are coated with an unknown
preservative, and some of the
[[Page 40647]]
remains were ``repaired'' using glue. To the best of our knowledge, no
other hazardous or potentially hazardous substances are present.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the anthropological,
archaeological, and geographical information, Native American Expert
Opinion, and oral tradition of the human remains and associated
funerary objects described in this notice. Carter County, TN, is part
of the aboriginal lands of Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Cherokee
Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation;
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.
Determinations
TDEC-DOA and UTK have determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 23 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 48 lots of 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 Alabama-
Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; and the United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians in 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 September
19, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, TDEC-DOA
and UTK 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. TDEC-DOA and UTK 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: August 5, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-15856 Filed 8-19-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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