[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 47 (Friday, March 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 14206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5942]



[[Page 14206]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 
Cambridge, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given that the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to 
repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, that meet 
the definition of ``unassociated funerary objects'' under section 2 of 
the Act.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these 
cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    The cultural items are 58 shell beads and shell fragments, and 1 
ceramic bowl and 15 sherds from that vessel.
    In 1896, Clarence B. Moore recovered 29 shell beads and shell 
fragments from Ossabaw Island, Middle Settlement, Mound A, Chatham 
County, GA, and donated these cultural items to the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology the same year. Museum documentation indicates 
that these cultural items were recovered in association with human 
remains that were interred inside a ceramic vessel. The Peabody Museum 
of Archaeology and Ethnology is not in possession or control of the 
human remains from this burial. Because museum documentation describes 
the ceramic vessel as containing human remains, the vessel is 
considered to be an associated funerary object and is described in a 
Notice of Inventory Completion.
    The ceramic style of the vessel is dated to the Irene phase of the 
late Mississippian period (A.D. 1300-1550), and the cultural items 
found in association with the vessel belong to the same period. Oral 
traditions, ethnohistorical evidence, and archeological documentation 
indicate that the Middle Settlement, Mound A site is located within the 
aboriginal and historic homelands of the Creek Confederacy during the 
Irene phase of the Late Mississippian period. The present-day tribes 
that are most closely affiliated with members of the Creek Confederacy 
are Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma.
    In 1897, Clarence B. Moore collected 29 shell beads from St. 
Catherine's Island, ``Mound near South End Settlement'' site, Long 
County, GA, and donated these cultural items to the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology the same year. Museum documentation indicates 
that these cultural items were recovered with human remains that were 
interred inside a ceramic vessel. The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology is not in possession or control of the human remains from 
this burial. Because museum documentation describes the ceramic vessel 
as containing human remains, the vessel is considered an associated 
funerary object and is described in a Notice of Inventory Completion.
    The ceramic style of the vessel dates to the Irene phase of the 
late Mississippian period (A.D. 1300-1550), and the cultural items 
found in association with the vessel belong to the same period. Oral 
traditions, ethnohistorical evidence, and archeological documentation 
indicate that the ``Mound near South End Settlement'' site is located 
within the aboriginal and historic homelands of the Creek Confederacy 
during the Irene phase of the Late Mississippian period. The present-
day tribes that are most closely affiliated with members of the Creek 
Confederacy are Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band 
of Creek Indians of Alabama; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma.
    In 1898, Clarence B. Moore recovered 1 ceramic bowl and 15 sherds 
from that bowl from the ``Mounds near Lake Bluff'' site, Long County, 
GA, and donated the bowl to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology the same year. Museum documentation indicates that the bowl 
was associated with a burial. The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology is not in possession or control of the human remains from 
this burial.
    The bowl dates to the Savannah II phase of the Late Mississippian 
period (A.D. 1300-1550). Oral traditions, ethnohistorical evidence, and 
archeological documentation indicate that the ``Mounds near Lake 
Bluff'' site is located within the aboriginal and historic homelands of 
the Creek Confederacy during the Irene phase of the Late Mississippian 
period. The present-day tribes that are most closely affiliated with 
members of the Creek Confederacy are Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, 
Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; and Thlopthlocco 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have determined that, pursuant to 
43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2)(ii), these 74 cultural items are reasonably believed 
to have been placed with or near individual human remains at the time 
of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony and are 
believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed from 
a specific burial site of a Native American individual. Officials of 
the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology also have determined 
that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship of shared 
group identity that can be reasonably traced between these cultural 
items and Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of Alabama-Quassarte Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; and 
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian 
tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these 
unassociated funerary objects should contact Barbara Isaac, 
Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 
Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone 
(617) 495-2254, before April 9, 2001. Repatriation of these 
unassociated funerary objects to Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, 
Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; and Thlopthlocco 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma may begin after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.

    Dated: February 22, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-5942 Filed 3-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F