Notice2025-15960
Notice of Inventory Completion: The University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, 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
August 21, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Anthropology (UTK), 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
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 160 (Thursday, August 21, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 160 (Thursday, August 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 40850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15960]
[[Page 40850]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6384; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040684; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: The University of Tennessee,
Department of Anthropology, 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, Knoxville,
Department of Anthropology (UTK), 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 September 22, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Dr. Ellen Lofaro,
University of Tennessee, Office of Repatriation, 5723 Middlebrook Pike,
Knoxville, TN 37996, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cf2fdfbeceefddce9e8f7b2f9f8e9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f896999f888a99b88d8c93d69d9c8d">[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 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. The four lots of associated funerary objects are
botanicals; faunal and shell; lithics; and objects placed with or near
human remains. These individuals and objects were recovered from the
Griffin Rock Shelter, 40FR151, in Franklin County, TN, by Duane King of
the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (UTC). This site dates from
the Late Terminal Woodland to early Mississippian periods with a Late
Archaic period presence. The site is radiocarbon dated to 1050 +/- 55
BP calibrated to 944 +/- 54 CE. These individuals and objects were
transferred to UTC and later transferred to UTK at an unknown time
where they were retained. To our knowledge, no potentially hazardous
substances have been used to treat any of the Ancestral remains or
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.
Determinations
UTK has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The four 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; Poarch Band of Creek Indians; The Chickasaw Nation; The
Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco
Tribal Town; 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
22, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, 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. 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: July 15, 2025.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-15960 Filed 8-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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