2025-04382Notice

Tennessee Museum Returns 57 Chickasaw Ancestral Pottery and Tools

Published Date: 3/18/2025

Notice

Summary

The University of Tennessee’s McClung Museum plans to return 57 cultural items, like pottery and stone tools, to the Chickasaw Nation because these items belong to their ancestors. These objects were dug up in Tennessee back in 1939 and will be repatriated starting April 17, 2025. This respectful move honors Native American heritage and strengthens community ties without any cost impact.

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

57 Cultural Items to be Returned

The University of Tennessee, McClung Museum intends to return 57 lots of unassociated funerary objects to the Chickasaw Nation. The 57 lots include 28 lots of ceramics, 27 lots of lithics, one lot of faunal remains, and one lot of minerals removed from site 40SW20 (Indian Bluff) in Stewart County, TN, excavated July–October 1939; repatriation may occur on or after April 17, 2025.

Who Can Request Repatriation and Process

Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation by showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated; requests may be submitted to the University of Tennessee representative and repatriation may occur on or after April 17, 2025. If competing requests are received, UTK must determine the most appropriate requestor; joint repatriation requests count as a single request.

No Hazardous Treatments Reported

The notice states that, to the museum's knowledge, no potentially hazardous substances were used to treat any of the 57 objects. This information pertains to the safety of handling and transferring the items during repatriation.

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Key Dates

Published Date
Effective Date
3/18/2025
4/17/2025

Department and Agencies

Department
Independent Agency
Agency
Interior Department
National Park Service
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