Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [N7321; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043220; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000] Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on or after August 14, 2026. ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to Dr. Andrew Creekmore, University of Northern Colorado, Department of Anthropology, 501 20th Street, Campus Box 90, Greeley, CO 80639, email andrew.creekmore@unco.edu. 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 the UNC and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Abstract of Information Available A total of 34 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. The three unassociated funerary objects are ceramic pots. UNC catalogue number 1967.01.0095 is a Pueblo IV period “glaze ware” bowl with an early 1900s tag that states: “Cliff Dwellers Pottery from burial mound Pajarita Canon New Mexico -R.W. Bullock.” The pot was donated to UNC by R. Ernesti and E. L. Hewett in the early 20th century. The form, style, decoration, and object tag indicate that this pot is affiliated with Ancestral Puebloans. A non-destructive ed-XRF test confirmed the presence of lead, apparently within the glazed design. UNC catalogue number 1967.07.0045 is a 20.5cm diameter, 8.5cm tall biscuit ware bowl of Pueblo IV date from the Northern Rio Grand area, acquired by UNC before 1967. The form, style, decoration, and object tag indicate that this pot is affiliated with Ancestral Puebloans. UNC catalogue number 1967.03.0002 is a 15cm diameter, 9cm tall bowl with pinch lug handles at the rim, missing its base, acquired by UNC before 1967. The form, style, decoration, and object tag indicate that this pot is affiliated with Ancestral Puebloans. The 28 objects of cultural patrimony are ceramic pots produced in the late 19th or early 20th Century and acquired by UNC between 1896-1967, largely through donations by R. Ernesti and/or E.L. Hewitt. They include a wide variety of sizes, forms, and surface treatments ranging from none to slipped, painted, and impressed. These comprise UNC Catalogue numbers 1967.01.0001; -.0003; -0008;-0009; -0010; -0011; -0035; -0039; -0040; -0050; -0056; -0058A/B; -0059; -0063; -0072A/B; -0083; -0094; -0098; -0099; -0103; -0105; -0107; -0108; 1967.02.0022; -0023; 1967.05.0006; 1967.08.0012; 1967.08.0014. A non-destructive ed-XRF test confirmed the presence of lead, likely in small amounts, in the repaired section of 1967.01.0103. The form, style, decoration, and/or object tags indicate that these pots are affiliated with Pueblo communities of the northern Rio Grande, particularly Pueblo de San Ildefonso. The three sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony are ceramic pots. UNC catalogue #1967.07.0036 is a brown micaceous ware gourd-shaped jar donated to UNC by Edgar L. Hewett and R. Ernesti before 1910. The form indicates that this pot is affiliated with Pueblo communities of the northern Rio Grande. UNC catalogue number 1967.01.0079 is a 21cm diameter, 12.5cm tall, terraced water bowl with painted designs, acquired in northern New Mexico, and donated to UNC by Edgar L. Hewett and R. Ernesti before 1906. UNC catalogue number 1967.05.0002 is a 35.5cm diameter, 16cm tall, terraced water bowl with painted designs, acquired in northern New Mexico, and donated to UNC by Edgar L. Hewett in 1896. The form, style, decoration, or object tags indicate that pots 1967.01.0079 and 1967.05.0002 are affiliated with Pueblo communities of the northern Rio Grande, particularly Pueblo de San Ildefonso. Determinations The UNC has determined that: • The three unassociated funerary objects described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization. • The 28 objects of cultural patrimony described in this notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization. • The three sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony described in this notice are, according to the Native American traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional Native American religion, and have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other subdivision). • There is a connection between the cultural items described in this notice and the Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico. Requests for Repatriation Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization. Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after August 14, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the UNC must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single request and not competing requests. The UNC is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting parties. Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9. Dated: July 7, 2026. Melanie O'Brien, Manager, National NAGPRA Program. [FR Doc. 2026-14183 Filed 7-14-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312-52-P