Notice2025-17884

Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL

Primary source

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Published
September 16, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History (FMNH) 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 177 (Tuesday, September 16, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44707-44708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-17884]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6526; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041079; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Florida, Florida 
Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL

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 Florida, Florida Museum of 
Natural History (FMNH) 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 October 16, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Megan Fry, University 
of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, 1659 Museum Road, 
Gainesville, FL 32611, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fab49b9d8a889bb59c9c93999fba9c969588939e9b978f899f8f97d48f9c96d49f9e8f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="753b14120507143a13131c16103513191a071c11141800061000185b0013195b101100">[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 
FMNH, 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

    Mayport Mound (8DU96) is south of the Mayport Naval Base, about one 
mile from the south bank of the St. Johns River. In 1963, 
Representative Charles E. Bennett suggested that an archaeological

[[Page 44708]]

investigation of the Mayport mound might provide evidence of contact 
between the Timucua and the French at Fort Caroline. Subsequent 
excavations, led by Rex L. Wilson (1965), uncovered 46 burials, most in 
poor condition. The artifacts recovered dated the mound to the Swift 
Creek period, with no evidence of French contact. Human remains 
representing, at least, 152 individuals have been identified (two 
subadult and 150 adults). The 5,508 associated funerary objects are 
5,481 pottery sherds, shell beads, and lithic tools and faunal bone and 
21 reconstructed Native American pottery vessels.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location of the human remains and associated funerary objects described 
in this notice.

Determinations

    The FMNH has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 152 individuals of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> The 5,508 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 Miccosukee 
Tribe of Indians; Seminole Tribe of Florida; and The Muscogee (Creek) 
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 October 
16, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the FMNH 
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 FMNH 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: September 4, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-17884 Filed 9-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on September 16, 2025.

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