Notice2026-02705
Notice of Inventory Completion: Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Primary source
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Published
February 11, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Office of the State Archaeologist Bioarchaeology Program (OSA BP) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6255-6256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02705]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6913; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041985; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Office of the State
Archaeologist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
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 Office of the State Archaeologist
Bioarchaeology Program (OSA BP) has completed an inventory of human
remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between
the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in
this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or
after March 13, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
in this notice to Dr. Lara Noldner, Office of the State Archaeologist
Bioarchaeology Program, University of Iowa, 700 S Clinton Street, Iowa
City, IA 52242, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#95f9f4e7f4b8fbfaf9f1fbf0e7d5e0fcfae2f4bbf0f1e0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d414c5f4c004342414943485f6d5844425a4c03484958">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
[[Page 6256]]
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
OSA BP, and additional information on the determinations in this
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been
reasonably identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The
human remains were collected from Aztec Ruins National Monument at an
unknown date prior to 1964 and donated the University of Northern Iowa
(UNI), before being transferred to the OSA-BP in March of 2023.
Handwritten labels accompany the two elements. A partial cranium (UNI
catalogue #: 280-2) is labeled: ``Skull Brought from Aztec Ruins, New
Mexico. Donated by E.A. Snyder, Cedar Falls, Iowa. 700-3,000 years
old''. A right femur (UNI accession/catalogue #: 00.5.28) is labeled:
``Human femur from Aztec Ruins New Mexico. 700-3,000 years old.''.
There is no documentation regarding the excavation or burial context of
the human remains nor indication of how the date ranges for the
elements were determined. The human remains are from a burial context,
exhibit preservation typical of the desert Southwest, and are most
likely of Puebloan ancestry. A middle-aged adult male individual is
represented (BP3774). No treatments with hazardous chemicals are
evident.
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 in this notice.
Determinations
The OSA BP has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the human remains
described in this notice and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Jicarilla
Apache Nation, New Mexico; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero
Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah;
Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of
Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New
Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico;
Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo
of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo
of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa
Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New
Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Santo Domingo Pueblo; Southern Ute
Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Ute Mountain
Ute Tribe; Ysleta del Sur Pueblo; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni
Reservation, New Mexico.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the human remains in this notice to a requestor may
occur on or after March 13, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the OSA BP must determine the most
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and
not competing requests. The OSA BP 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: February 4, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-02705 Filed 2-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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