Notice2025-19956
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN
Primary source
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Published
November 17, 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 certain cultural items from Davidson County, Tennessee that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have 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 219 (Monday, November 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 219 (Monday, November 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51401-51402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-19956]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6560; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041184; 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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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
certain cultural items from Davidson County, Tennessee that meet the
definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in
this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after December 17, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items 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#14447c7d783a5c7b70737154607a3a737b62"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="18487071743650777c7f7d586c76367f776e">[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 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 13 unassociated funerary objects have been requested for
repatriation.
Site 40DV4, Davidson County, TN
Unassociated funerary objects consisting of two salt pan ceramic
sherds. These artifacts were excavated by a private consultant in 1991
during a TDOT-permitted archaeological project and curated with TDEC-
DOA. There is no known exposure to hazardous substances or treatments.
Site 40DV35, Davidson County, TN
Unassociated funerary objects consisting of one banded limestone
gorget. No information is available regarding the 1990 acquisition of
this material into TDEC-DOA collections. There is no known exposure to
hazardous substances or treatments.
Site 40DV195, Davidson County, TN
Unassociated funerary objects consisting of one calcite ear plug.
This artifact was recovered from a Mississippian period stone box
cemetery excavated by private consultant in1992 under a Chancery court
order, and donated to TDEC-DOA in 1993. All ancestral remains were
reinterred by the consultant under state law. There is no known
exposure to hazardous substances or treatments.
Site 40DV447, Davidson County, TN
A total of six unassociated funerary objects consisting of four
lithic artifacts; one lot of lithic artifacts; and one lot of copper
beads. This material was recovered during excavations associated with
TDOT construction of Briley Parkway and donated to TDEC-DOA in 1995.
The associated skeletal remains were reburied in 1995 under state
cemetery law. There is no known exposure to hazardous substances or
treatments.
Unknown Site, Davidson County, TN
A total of three unassociated funerary objects consisting of one
ceramic frog effigy vessel; one ceramic bowl; and one lot of shell
beads. These materials were donated to TDEC-DOA from the collection of
the Cumberland Science Museum.
Determinations
The TDEC-DOA has determined that:
<bullet> The 13 unassociated funerary objects are 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. The unassociated funerary
object has been identified by a preponderance of the evidence as
related to human remains, specific individuals, or families, or removed
from a specific burial site or burial area of an individual or
individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe or Native
Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items 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;
Shawnee Tribe; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; and the United Keetoowah
Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
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 items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after December 17, 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 items 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.
[[Page 51402]]
Dated: September 18, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-19956 Filed 11-14-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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