Archaeologists Link Old Remains to Native Tribes for Return
Published Date: 9/16/2025
Notice
Summary
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation finished checking old human remains and burial items found in Tennessee. They’ve linked these remains to Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian groups, so these items will be returned to the right communities. This means tribes can expect to get their ancestors’ belongings back soon, with no costs involved for them.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Return of Native Ancestral Remains
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation completed an inventory under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and determined that certain human remains and funerary objects found in Tennessee are culturally affiliated with Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Those remains and objects will be returned to the affiliated tribes or organizations, and the notice states there will be no cost to the tribes for repatriation.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-17879, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation plans to return certain Native American cultural items found in Tennessee to the right tribes. This move follows a law that protects Native American graves and cultural objects. The repatriation helps honor Native communities and doesn’t involve any costs or deadlines for the public.
Next: 2025-17881, Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN, and Cobb Institute of Archaeology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Mississippi State University finished checking old human remains and artifacts from Hawkins County, TN. They found these items are connected to Native American tribes. This means the items will be handled carefully and returned to the right communities, with no costs or deadlines for the public.