Notice2025-23042
Notice of Intended Repatriation: The University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN
Primary source
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Published
December 17, 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), 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
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 58585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23042]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6690; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041430; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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), 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 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Dr. Ellen Lofaro, University of
Tennessee (UTK), Office of Repatriation, 5723 Middlebrook Pike,
Knoxville, TN 37996, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f515e584f4d5e7f4a4b54115a5b4a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b050a0c1b190a2b1e1f00450e0f1e">[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 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 three cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The three lots of unassociated funerary objects are one
lot of ceramics, one lot of shell, and one lot of faunal. These objects
were recovered from a Mississippian period cemetery at an unknown site
in Montgomery County, TN, by an unknown person on an unknown date.
These cultural items were discovered during a search for sites from
Montgomery County, TN, in UTK collections. No additional information
has been discovered related to these cultural materials. To our
knowledge, no potentially hazardous substances have been used to treat
any of the objects in this notice.
Determinations
UTK has determined that:
<bullet> The three 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 Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; 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 January 16, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, UTK 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. UTK 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 24, 2025
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23042 Filed 12-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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