[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58406-58408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15832]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038304; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Tennessee, 
Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, 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 University of Tennessee, Department of 
Anthropology (UTK) 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 August 19, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Ellen Lofaro, University of Tennessee, Office of 
Repatriation, 5723 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN

[[Page 58407]]

37921-6053, telephone (865) 974-3370, email [email protected].

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 UTK, 
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 six individuals have been 
identified. The two associated funerary objects are one lot of ceramics 
and one lot of faunal remains. In February 2009, students from the Mars 
Hill Bible School in Florence, Lauderdale County, Alabama found remains 
while out around a bluff, and later found additional remains while they 
were looking in the same area. After the students removed the remains 
and took them to class, the Sherriff's Department was contacted to take 
possession of them. An investigator from the department sent the 
remains to Dr. Lee Jantz at UTK for examination. These remains were 
retained by the UTK Forensic Anthropology Center (FAC) as case 09-02. 
They were housed by the FAC until they were recently transferred to the 
UTK Office of Repatriation (OR). Some of the remains were ``repaired'' 
using an unknown, thick foam-like adhesive material.
    Human remains representing, at least two individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. A scout leader 
found the remains in a cave in Franklin County, Tennessee, and alerted 
law enforcement officials. A police officer received the remains from 
the scout leader on September 20, 1997. The officer transferred them to 
the Franklin County Sherriff's Department two days later. A captain 
from the department contacted Dr. William Bass at UTK for assistance in 
determining if the remains were of medicolegal concern. The remains 
were transferred to UTK on September 26, 1997, and examined by Michelle 
Hamilton. Once determined to be of Native American origin, the remains 
were retained by the FAC as case 97-28. They remained at the FAC until 
they were recently transferred to the OR. To our knowledge, the remains 
were not treated with any potentially hazardous substances.
    Human remains representing, at least one individual have been 
identified. The one associated funerary object is one lot of faunal 
remains. At an unknown time, these remains were removed by an unknown 
party, from a cave in Franklin County, TN. On August 9, 2012, the 
remains were given to an investigator with the county Sherriff's 
Department. The investigator transferred them to a Tennessee Bureau of 
Investigation (TBI) Special Agent, who contacted Dr. Lee Meadows Jantz 
at UTK to have them examined. The remains were retained by the FAC as 
case 12-07. They remained at the FAC until they were recently 
transferred to the OR. To our knowledge, no potentially hazardous 
substances were used to treat any of the remains or objects.
    Human remains representing, at least two individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Cavers 
discovered the remains while exploring with a group of children in 
Grundy County, TN, on February 13, 1995, and alerted law enforcement 
officials. That same day, a TBI agent contacted Dr. Murray Marks at the 
FAC for his assistance, and a team of graduate students were sent to 
the site to investigate further. Once the examination of the remains 
was complete, they were determined to be Native American, and they were 
retained by the FAC as case 95-9. They remained at the FAC until they 
were recently transferred to the OR. Some of the remains were 
``repaired'' using glue, but to our knowledge, no potentially hazardous 
substances were used to treat any of the remains.
    Human remains representing, at least one individual have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. On Saturday, 
January 7, 2006, a resident of Pelham, TN, was digging for projectile 
points when he found human remains below the surface. He removed them 
and took them to Grundy County law enforcement officials. On January 
10, the remains were transferred to a TBI Special Agent, who 
subsequently sent them to UTK for examination, where they were received 
on February 26. After the remains were examined and determined not to 
be of medicolegal concern (not a missing person or crime victim), they 
were retained by the FAC as case 06-06. They remained at the FAC until 
they were recently transferred to the OR. To our knowledge, no 
potentially hazardous substances were used to treat any of the remains.
    Human remains representing, at least two individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The remains 
were found in a cave in Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, TN, by an 
unknown party in February 1981, and local law enforcement officials 
were informed. A TBI agent contacted Bass for assistance in identifying 
the remains, and subsequently sent them to UTK where they were examined 
by Patrick Willey in March 1981. Once determined to be Native American 
and not of recent origin, the remains were retained by the FAC as case 
81-8. They remained at the FAC until they were recently transferred to 
the OR. To our knowledge, no potentially hazardous substances were used 
to treat any of the remains.
    Human remains representing, at least two individuals have been 
identified. The four associated funerary objects are one lot of 
botanicals, one lot of faunal remains, one lot of lithics, and one lot 
of unidentified objects. At an unknown time, these remains and funerary 
objects were found by an unknown party in a cave in Lawrence County, 
TN. In January 1996, a TBI agent informed Bass of the discovery, and 
the remains were sent to Bass at UTK for examination, which was 
completed on February 8, 1996. Once determined not to be of recent 
origin, the remains were retained by the FAC as case 96-04. They 
remained at the FAC until they were recently transferred to the OR. To 
our knowledge, no potentially hazardous substances were used to treat 
any of the remains or objects.
    Lauderdale County, Alabama, and Franklin, Grundy, and Lawrence 
Counties, Tennessee, are part of the aboriginal Homeland of the 
Chickasaw people, as documented in the Treaties with the United States 
and Chickasaw of 1805, 1816, and 1818. These counties are also part of 
the aboriginal Homeland of the Cherokee, as documented in Treaties with 
the Cherokee, 1806, 1807, and 1819.

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

    UTK has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 16 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The seven 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.
     There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the

[[Page 58408]]

Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Chickasaw 
Nation; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

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 August 
19, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, UTK 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. UTK 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: July 10, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-15832 Filed 7-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P