Notice2026-18976
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Texas at Austin, Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, Austin, TX
Primary source
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Published
September 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL), intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58706-58707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18976]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7494; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043746; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Texas at Austin,
Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, Austin, TX
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 University of Texas at Austin, Texas
Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL), intends to repatriate certain
cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary
objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony and that
have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after October 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Jessica Ulmer, The University of Texas
at Austin Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory, 1 University
Station, R7500, Austin, TX 78712, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#18727d6b6b717b79366d74757d6a58796d6b6c7176366d6c7d60796b367d7c6d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="28424d5b5b414b49065d44454d5a68495d5b5c4146065d5c4d50495b064d4c5d">[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 TARL
and additional information on the determinations in this notice,
including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 42,138 cultural items have been requested for
repatriation.
Approximately 18,175 of these items have been identified as
potential sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony and consist of
abraders, bifaces, decorated Native American ceramics, faunal bone,
drills, glass quartz, ground stones, maize, metates, obsidian, ochre,
pendants, plants, polishing stones, pollen samples, scrapers, shells,
shell beads, turquoise, unifaces, untyped dart points, and wood.
Approximately 23,963 of these items have been identified as
potential unassociated funerary objects and consist of adobe, angular
shatter, archaeomagnetrometry samples, burned clay, charcoal, float
samples, plaster, soil samples, undecorated Native American ceramics,
and unknown glass.
The items were reportedly collected in El Paso, Texas, at site
41EP25 by the 1986 Texas Archeological Society field school led by
Thomas O'Laughlin and accessioned by TARL in 2004. TARL records
indicate no known hazardous substances.
Determinations
TARL has determined that:
<bullet> The 23,963 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 18,175 sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony
described in this notice are, according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional
Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice
traditional Native American religion, and have ongoing historical,
traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American
group, including any constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan,
lineage, ceremonial society, or other subdivision).
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by 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 cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after October 16, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, TARL must determine the most appropriate
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the
cultural items are considered a single request and not competing
requests. TARL is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
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
[[Page 58707]]
U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: September 10, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-18976 Filed 9-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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