Tennessee Archaeology Division Ready to Repatriate Ancient Human Remains
Published Date: 12/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Archaeology Division has finished checking and identifying Native American human remains from two sites in Tennessee. Starting January 20, 2026, these remains can be returned to the affiliated tribes. This process respects Native American heritage and involves no costs or hazards.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Two Native Remains Eligible for Repatriation
The Tennessee Division of Archaeology identified human remains representing at least two Native American individuals from Site 40CH20 (Cheatham County) and Site 40SU24 (Sumner County). These remains may be returned to affiliated tribes on or after January 20, 2026, and the inventory notes donations in 1983 and 1996 with no known hazardous exposure.
Who Can Request Repatriation and Process
Repatriation requests may be submitted by any one or more of the named Indian Tribes (including Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Shawnee Tribe; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Osage Nation; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma) or by a lineal descendant or tribe not named who shows affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence. If competing requests are received, the Tennessee Division of Archaeology will decide the most appropriate requestor; joint requests are treated as a single request.
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