Notice2025-22894
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
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
December 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) intends to repatriate certain cultural items 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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58271-58272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22894]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6620; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041350; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Florida, Florida
Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
[[Page 58272]]
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Florida, Florida Museum of
Natural History (FMNH) intends to repatriate certain cultural items
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 January 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to David Blackburn, University of
Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, 1659 Museum Road,
Gainesville, FL 32611, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b9f7d8dec9cbd8f6dfdfd0dadcf9dfd5d6cbd0ddd8d4cccadcccd497ccdfd597dcddcc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9f7d8dec9cbd8f6dfdfd0dadcf9dfd5d6cbd0ddd8d4cccadcccd497ccdfd597dcddcc">[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
FMNH, 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 four cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The four unassociated funerary objects include shells,
pottery, lithics, and plant remains are from Sarasota Bay Mound (8SO44)
which is a sand burial mound that overlooks Sarasota Bay. It dates to
the Weedon Island (A.D. 450-1000) and Safety Harbor (A.D. 1000-1500)
periods. This site includes multiple burials, many disturbed by
landscaping and plumbing activities throughout the years. In 1920, Dr.
Charles T. McClintock built a house on top of the mound. Consequently,
the mound's height was cut down for the house to be built and during
this leveling, pottery and human remains were found. In the 1960s, the
house was bought by Earl Putnam, a Canadian developer, who agreed to a
salvage excavation before condos were built. Ripley P. Bullen of FLMNH
came in and led the excavations of this mound, where these unassociated
funerary objects were found. There are no known hazardous substances or
treatments.
Determinations
The FMNH has determined that:
<bullet> The four unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice 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 objects have 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 connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians and the Seminole
Tribe of Florida.
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 January 15, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the FMNH 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 FMNH 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: November 17, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-22894 Filed 12-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 16, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.