Notice2026-10035
Notice of Inventory Completion: Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia, Stephens City, VA
Primary source
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Published
May 19, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter (NSVC) of the Archaeological Society of Virginia (ASV), 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 96 (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 96 (Tuesday, May 19, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29159-29160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10035]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7164; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042800; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Northern Shenandoah Valley
Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia, Stephens City, VA
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 Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter
(NSVC) of the Archaeological Society of Virginia (ASV), 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 June 18, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Jennifer Kennedy,
NSVC ASV, 874 Fairview Avenue, Apt 3, Indiana, PA 15701, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ee4ebe0e5ebe0e0ebeaf7bcbcbecee9e3efe7e2a0ede1e3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b1dbd4dfdad4dfdfd4d5c8838381f1d6dcd0d8dd9fd2dedc">[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
NSVC ASV 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 remains representing, at least, 16 individuals have been
identified. The 36 associated funerary objects are pipes, bone beads,
shell beads, shells. This notice provides an abstract of information
contained in the inventory for the Kagey Collection, which includes
human remains representing a minimum of 16 individuals and 36
associated funerary objects derived from multiple archaeological sites
(n = 10) in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The collection is under
the possession and control of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter of
the Archaeological Society of Virginia and was assembled as a private
collection in the 1960s and subsequently deeded to the Chapter in 2019.
Based on the available evidence, including geographical location and
Traditional Knowledge provided through consultation, cultural
affiliation has been reasonably identified with the Monacan Indian
Nation, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Shawnee Tribe. No
known hazardous substances were used to treat the human remains or
associated funerary objects.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated
funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The NSVC ASV has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 16 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 36 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 Eastern
Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Monacan Indian Nation; and the Shawnee
Tribe.
[[Page 29160]]
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 June 18,
2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the NSVC ASV
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 NSVC ASV 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: May 12, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-10035 Filed 5-18-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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