Notice2026-00057
Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of the Cherokee People, Cherokee, NC
Primary source
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Published
January 7, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP) 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 91 Issue 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 527-528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00057]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6826; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041687; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of the Cherokee People,
Cherokee, NC
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 Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP)
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 February 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Evan Mathis, Museum
of the Cherokee People, P.O. Box 1599, 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee, NC
28719, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a4f5c4b4404474b5e4243596a47455e495a0445584d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="492c3f28276724283d21203a0924263d2a3967263b2e">[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
Museum of the Cherokee People, 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
Human ancestral remains representing, at least, one individual has
been identified from an unknown archaeological site, accessioned as
2011.283. Four lots of funerary objects are present, including one lot
of animal bones/bone fragments, one lot of ceramic pot sherds, one lot
of charcoal, and one lot of lithics. After completing the consultation
process with federally recognized Tribal Nations, this site is
culturally affiliated with the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians, the Seminole Tribe of Florida (based on Southeastern
iconography found on pottery sherds), and the United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians. It is unknown when or by whom the individuals were
removed, but the accession number indicates they were likely
transferred to the Museum of the Cherokee People in 2011, where they
have been housed since that time. To our knowledge, no hazardous
substances were used to treat any of the human ancestral remains.
Human ancestral remains representing, at least, one individual has
been identified from an unknown archaeological site, accessioned as
2011.392. Three lots of funerary objects were commingled with this
individual, including one lot of ceramic pot sherds, one lot of
lithics, and one lot of soil. After completing the consultation process
with federally recognized Tribal Nations, this site is culturally
affiliated with the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians, the Seminole Tribe of Florida (based on Southeastern
iconography found on pottery sherds), and the United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians. It is unknown when or by whom the individuals were
removed, but the accession number indicates they were likely
transferred to the Museum of the Cherokee People in 2011, where they
have been housed since that time. To our knowledge, no hazardous
substances were used to treat any of the human ancestral remains.
Human ancestral remains representing, at least, one individual has
been identified from an unknown archaeological site, accessioned as
2011.360. One lot of funerary objects was commingled with this
individual consisting of ceramic pot sherds. After completing the
consultation process with federally recognized Tribal Nations, this
site is culturally affiliated with the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern
Band of Cherokee Indians, the Seminole Tribe of Florida (based on
Southeastern iconography found on pottery sherds), and the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. It is unknown when or by whom the
individuals were removed, but the accession number indicates they were
likely transferred to the Museum of the Cherokee People in 2011, where
they have been housed since that time. To our knowledge, no hazardous
substances were used to treat any of the human ancestral remains.
Human ancestral remains representing, at least, one individual has
been identified from an unknown archaeological site, accessioned as
2011.391. Four lots of funerary objects were commingled with this
individual, including one lot of ceramic pot sherds, one lot of
lithics, one lot of animal bones/bones fragments, and one lot of
historic material. After completing the consultation process with
federally recognized Tribal Nations, this site is culturally affiliated
with the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the
Seminole Tribe of Florida (based on Southeastern iconography found on
pottery sherds), and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. It
is unknown when or by whom the individuals were removed, but the
accession number indicates they were likely transferred to the Museum
of the Cherokee People in 2011, where they have been housed since that
time. To our knowledge, no hazardous substances were used to treat any
of the human ancestral remains.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available
about the human
[[Page 528]]
remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The Museum of the Cherokee People has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 12 lots of 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 Cherokee
Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Seminole Tribe of Florida;
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.
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 February
6, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the
Museum of the Cherokee People 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 Museum of the Cherokee People
is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes
and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any
other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: December 18, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-00057 Filed 1-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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