Notice2026-11244
Notice of Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah 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 107 (Thursday, June 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 107 (Thursday, June 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33739-33740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11244]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7205; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042937; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Natural History Museum of Utah,
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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 Natural History Museum of Utah,
University of Utah 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 July 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Katie Saunders,
Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, 301 Wakara Way,
Salt Lake City, UT 84108, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fc978f9d899298998e8fbc92949189d289889d94d2999889"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="92f9e1f3e7fcf6f7e0e1d2fcfaffe7bce7e6f3fabcf7f6e7">[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
Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, 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 five individuals have been
identified. The three lots of associated funerary objects consist of
one lot of approximately 38 ceramic vessels, one lot of more than 200
ceramic sherds and one gourd bowl. Of this number, one ceramic vessel
and one gourd bowl could not currently be located in the museum. The
Natural History Museum of Utah continues to search for these funerary
objects. The five individuals and the associated funerary objects
included in this notice were removed from an Ancestral Puebloan site
known as 05MT5, Yellow Jacket Ruin, Yellow Jacket Pueblo, Square Mug
House, and the Great Tower Complex located in Montezuma County,
Colorado. The five individuals and the associated funerary objects were
excavated in 1930 by C. A. Thomas and V.F. Lotrich for Western State
College Museum (now known as the CT Hurst Museum at Western Colorado
University). They were transferred to the University of Utah in 1957.
No known potentially hazardous substances were used to treat the
individuals from 05MT5. However, records at the Natural History Museum
of Utah indicate that some of the associated funerary objects were
treated with a potentially hazardous substance. Records note that some
objects were fumigated but do not mention the substance used.
Human Remains representing at least one individual were removed
from an unknown location in Southwestern Colorado. The individual was
presented to the University of Utah in 1908 by a Mr. Jorgenson of
Monticello, Utah. No associated funerary objects are present. No known
potentially hazardous substances were used to treat this individual.
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 Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah has
determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical
[[Page 33740]]
remains of six individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The three 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 Hopi Tribe
of Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Nation, 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 Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray
Reservation, Utah; 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 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 July 6,
2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Natural
History Museum of Utah, University of Utah 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 Natural
History Museum of Utah 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 29, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-11244 Filed 6-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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