Notice

Notice of Inventory Completion: Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks, Union, KY

A Notice by the National Park Service on 04/02/2026

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• Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-06359 (91 FR 16730) Document Headings ###### Department of the Interior

National Park Service

1. [N7041; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042505; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks, 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 May 4, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice to Jennifer Spence, Parks Curator, Kentucky State Parks, Mayo-Underwood Building, 5th Floor, 500 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY 40601, email jennifer.spence@ky.gov.

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 Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks, 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 a minimum of three individuals and two associated funerary objects have been identified. The two funerary objects include one large mussel shell and the base of one projectile point.

These remains and objects were recovered from the Glacken site (15Be272) at Big Bone Lick State Historic Site in Boone County, Kentucky, during archaeological excavations in 1981 and 1982. The 1981 excavations uncovered fragmentary remains representing at least one individual. In 1982, the University of Kentucky field school excavated two burials—an adult male and a child. The two funerary objects were found with the adult burial. The remains of the three individuals are curated at the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Fayette County.

Archaeological records indicate that the two burials excavated in 1982 were interred in a manner consistent with Late Archaic burial practices. Radiocarbon dating of a sample associated with an earth oven and the intrusive child burial yielded an approximate date of 2140 BC.

There are no known potentially hazardous substances used to treat any of the human remains or associated funerary objects.

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

Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks, has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The two 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 Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Shawnee Tribe.

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 May 4, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks 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. Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Kentucky State Parks, is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

Dated: March 24, 2026.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.

[FR Doc. 2026-06359 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4312-52-P

Published Document: 2026-06359 (91 FR 16730)