[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51461-51462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25142]


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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 in accordance with provisions of 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 Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    The cultural items are 1 shell gorget, 22 shells, 2 shell 
ornaments, and 1 ground stone.
    In 1929, a cultural item from Stalling's Island Mound, Columbia 
County, GA, was acquired by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology. The object, one shell gorget, was collected during a 1928-29 
expedition sponsored by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
and led by Cornelius B. and Harriet S. Cosgrove with William Claflin.
    Based on the style and typology of the gorget, it dates to the 
Hollywood phase of the Late Mississippian period (A.D. 1250-1450). This 
gorget is the type specimen of the ``Claflin style'' gorget, which is 
associated with the late prehistoric Mississippian Southeastern 
Ceremonial Complex (circa A.D. 1400-1500). The burial context indicates 
that the burial was of a Native American. The Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology does not have possession or control of the 
human remains from this site. Oral traditions as well as ethnohistoric 
and archeological documentation support Stalling's Island Mound as 
being within the aboriginal and historical homelands of the Creek, 
Miccosukee, and Seminole peoples during the Hollywood phase of the Late 
Mississippian period. With the abandonment of the Stalling's Island 
settlement just prior to European contact, the population transferred 
to three distinct tribal towns on the mainland, Coweta, Hitchiti, and 
Kashita. The Hitchiti are recognized bands among the Miccosukee and 
Seminole today, and the towns were distinct entities within the Creek, 
Miccosukee, and Seminole peoples until recent times. These peoples are 
represented today by the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; 
Muscogee (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; and Thlopthlocco 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma.
    Between 1906 and 1929, 22 shells, 2 shell ornaments, and 1 ground 
stone were collected from Stalling's Island Mound, Columbia County, GA, 
by William Claflin. In 1985, the William Claflin Collection was donated 
to the Peabody Museum. Museum documentation indicates that these 
cultural items were recovered with human remains and that the human 
remains were either interred inside, or were associated with, ceramic 
vessels.
    Based on the ceramic style of the vessels that were associated with 
these cultural items, the items date to the Hollywood phase of the Late 
Mississippian period (A.D. 1250-1450). The burial context indicates 
that the burial was of a Native American. The Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology does not have possession or control of the 
human remains from these burials. Oral traditions as well as 
ethnohistoric and archeological documentation support Stalling's Island 
Mound as being within the aboriginal and historical homelands of Creek, 
Miccosukee, and Seminole peoples during the Hollywood Phase of the Late 
Mississippian period. With the abandonment of the Stalling's Island 
settlement just prior to European contact, the population transferred 
to three distinct tribal towns on the mainland, Coweta, Hitchiti, and 
Kashita. The Hitchiti are recognized bands among the Miccosukee and 
Seminole today, and the towns were distinct entities within the Creek, 
Miccosukee, and Seminole peoples until

[[Page 51462]]

recent times. These peoples are represented today by the Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; Muscogee (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; 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 26 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 the Creek, Miccosukee, and Seminole peoples, who are 
represented by the following federally recognized groups: Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida; Muscogee (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; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Alabama-Quassarte 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe 
of Indians of Florida; Muscogee (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; 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 
Patricia Capone, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, 
Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone (617) 496-3702, before November 8, 2001. 
Repatriation of the cultural items to the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of 
Indians of Florida; Muscogee (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; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma may begin after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: July 18, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-25142 Filed 10-5-01; 8:45 am]
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