Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park intends to carry out the disposition of unassociated funerary objects removed from Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 54757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17172]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7439; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043542; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Disposition: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, 
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 U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park intends to 
carry out the disposition of unassociated funerary objects removed from 
Federal or Tribal lands to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribe, or 
Native Hawaiian organization with priority for disposition in this 
notice.

DATES: Disposition of the cultural items in this notice may occur on or 
after September 23, 2026. If no claim for disposition is received by 
August 24, 2027, the cultural items in this notice will become 
unclaimed cultural items.

ADDRESSES: Send written claims for disposition of the cultural items in 
this notice to Charles Sellars, Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37728, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9dfef5fceff1f8eec2eef8f1f1fcefeeddf3edeeb3faf2eb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="06656e67746a63755975636a6a6774754668767528616970">[email&#160;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 
Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and additional 
information on the cultural items in this notice, including the results 
of consultation, can be found in the related records.

Abstract of Information Available

    Based on the information available, the 164 unassociated funerary 
objects include one large chert blade, 148 lithic flakes, one small 
mammal radius, five pottery sherds, one ground stone, six ceramic 
daubs, and two pieces of red ochre/hematite. These items were initially 
discovered on December 2, 2014, during trenching associated with 
Metcalf Bottoms in Sevier County, TN. They were identified as cultural 
items in consultation with Tribes as part of a larger survey of 
potential NAGPRA materials in the park museum collections between 2022 
and 2024.

Determinations

    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has determined that:
    <bullet> The 164 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> The Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and 
the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma have priority 
for disposition of the cultural items described in this notice.

Claims for Disposition

    Written claims for disposition of the cultural items in this notice 
must be sent to the appropriate official identified in this notice 
under ADDRESSES. If no claim for disposition is received by August 24, 
2027, the cultural items in this notice will become unclaimed cultural 
items. Claims for disposition may be submitted by:
    1. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows that they have 
priority for disposition.
    Disposition of the cultural items in this notice may occur on or 
after September 23, 2026. If competing claims for disposition are 
received, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park must determine the 
most appropriate claimant prior to disposition. Claims for joint 
disposition of the cultural items are considered a single claim and not 
competing claims. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is 
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the lineal 
descendants, 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. 3002, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.7.

    Dated: August 17, 2026.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17172 Filed 8-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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