Notice2025-22895
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
Primary source
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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) 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 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58306-58307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22895]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6621; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041351; 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 January 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects 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#703e11170002113f161619131530161c1f021914111d050315051d5e05161c5e151405"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="94daf5f3e4e6f5dbf2f2fdf7f1d4f2f8fbe6fdf0f5f9e1e7f1e1f9bae1f2f8baf1f0e1">[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 its inventory or
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Sarasota Bay Mound (8SO44) is a sand burial mound that overlooks
Sarasota Bay. It dates to the Weedon
[[Page 58307]]
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 Ancestors and associated
funerary objects were found. Sarasota Bay Mound was previously reported
in the 2003 inventory as culturally unaffiliated with an MNI of 10 and
did not report any associated funerary objects. This notice provides an
updated MNI of 28, AFO, and cultural affiliation for the collection.
Human remains representing at least 28 individuals have been
identified. The 51 associated funerary objects include shells, pottery,
lithics, and plant materials.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location and acquisition history 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 28 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 51 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 and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
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 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 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: November 17, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-22895 Filed 12-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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