[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32846-32847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15306]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the U.S. 
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace 
Parkway, Tupelo, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of the U.S. Department of the 
Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway, Tupelo, MS.
    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 
National Park unit that has control or possession of these Native 
American human remains. The Assistant Director, Cultural Resources 
Stewardship and Partnerships is not responsible for the determinations 
within this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by National 
Park Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee 
Nation, Oklahoma; Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of 
Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 
of North Carolina; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of 
Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee 
Tribe of Indians of Florida; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, 
Mississippi; Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of 
Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; 
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of 
Louisiana; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of 
Oklahoma. The Shawnee Tribe, also known also as the ``Loyal Shawnee'' 
or ``Cherokee Shawnee,'' a nonfederally recognized Native American 
group at the time that they were consulted, have since been recognized 
as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the 
United States to Indians because of their status as Indians under 
provisions of P.L. 106-568.
    The 75 human remains and 41 associated funerary objects described 
below were recovered from three different sites.
    In 1963 and 1964, human remains representing 10 individuals were 
recovered from the Boyd site during an authorized National Park Service 
project to mitigate construction impacts from the Natchez Trace 
Parkway. No known individuals were identified. The 24 associated 
funerary objects are pieces of a single Baytown Plain ceramic jar.
    The Boyd site is located in Madison County, MS, and consists of a 
village area and six mounds. On the basis of artifacts recovered during 
the excavations, the village area was occupied during the Woodland 
period (A.D. 300-700), while the mounds were built during the 
Mississippian period (A.D. 1000-1650). The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were associated with the Mississippian period use of 
the site. One burial was recovered with fragments of a Baytown Plain 
ceramic jar, a ceramic type often associated with the Late Woodland and 
Early Mississippian period (A.D. 700-1200). In 1949, human remains 
representing 36 individuals were recovered from the Gordon Mounds site 
during a legally authorized National Park Service excavation prior to 
the construction of the Natchez Trace Parkway. No known individuals 
were identified. The 17 associated funerary objects are 12 ceramic 
fragments representing 5 different vessels, 3 projectile points, and 1 
stone celt.
    The Gordon Mounds site is located in Jefferson County, MS, and 
consists of two mounds and a village area. On the basis of artifacts 
recovered during the excavations the site was occupied during the Late 
Woodland and Mississippian periods (A.D. 600-1750). Ceramic types 
include Mazique Incised and Addis Plain, ceramic types often associated 
with the late prehistoric occupants of the Natchez, MS, area and with 
the Natchez Indians.
    In 1948 and 1972, human remains representing 29 individuals were 
recovered from the Emerald Mound site during legally authorized 
excavation projects. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The Emerald Mound site is located in the vicinity of Natchez, MS, 
and consists of two mounds and a plaza area. On the basis of artifacts 
recovered during excavation, the site was occupied during the late 
precontact phase of the Mississippian period (A.D. 1200-1650, or 
later). Ceramic types that have been historically associated with the 
Natchez Indians were found throughout the site. The cremated remains of 
infants were found in the mound. Infant sacrifice is a cultural trait 
that has been affiliated with the Natchez.
    In 1542, Hernando de Soto's expedition heard of, and later 
encountered hostile Indians along the lower Mississippi River believed 
to have been the Natchez and their allies. In 1682, the de La Salle 
expedition specifically identified the Natchez as living along the 
banks of the lower Mississippi River. Following an unsuccessful 
rebellion against the French in 1729, the Natchez were dispersed. About 
400 individuals surrendered to the French and were sent to the West 
Indies as slaves. The remaining Natchez withdrew among the Chickasaw 
and ultimately separated into two main bands, one settling among the 
Upper Creeks and the other uniting with the Cherokee.
    After their removal to Indian Territory, Natchez descendants 
settled along both sides of the border between the Creek and Cherokee 
Nations. Consultation with tribal representatives indicates that those 
Natchez in the Cherokee Nation were regarded as ``Nahchee Creeks.'' The 
Natchez language was still spoken by some in the Creek Nation until the 
early 20th century and by some among the Cherokee until the 1940s. 
Despite the later survival of the Natchez language among the Cherokee, 
the Natchez survived longest as a recognizable sociocultural entity 
among the Creeks, where the Natchez remnant ultimately was taken in by 
the still-extant Ahbika ceremonial ground in the present-day Muskogee 
(Creek) Nation. Given territorial proximity and complexities of modern 
Cherokee tribal alignments in Oklahoma, both the Cherokee Nation and 
the United Keetowah Band of Cherokee Indians are likely to include 
tribal members of Natchez descent.
    Based on the above mentioned information, the superintendent of 
Natchez Trace Parkway has determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent

[[Page 32847]]

the physical remains of 75 individuals of Native American ancestry. The 
superintendent of Natchez Trace Parkway has also determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 41 objects listed above are 
reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual human 
remains at the time of death or later as part of a death rite or 
ceremony. Lastly, the superintendent of Natchez Trace Parkway has 
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship 
of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects recovered 
from the Boyd site, Gordon Mounds site, and Emerald Mound site, and the 
Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; and 
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Absentee-Shawnee 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas; 
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; 
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; 
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, 
Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians 
of Florida; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muskogee 
(Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama; 
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big 
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; Shawnee Tribe, 
Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian 
Tribe of Louisiana; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians 
of Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should contact Wendell Simpson, 
Superintendent, Natchez Trace Parkway, 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway, 
Tupelo, MS 38803, telephone (662) 680-4005, before July 18, 2001. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; and 
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma may begin after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: May 10, 2001.
Frank P. McManamon,
Acting Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and 
Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-15306 Filed 6-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F]