[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 117 (Monday, June 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35451-35452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12029]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Mississippi Department of 
Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division, Jackson, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Mississippi Department of Archives and 
History, Historic Preservation Division, Jackson, MS. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects were removed from Lee County, MS.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation 
Division professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
    In the summer of 1937, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the Alston-Wilson site (MLe14), by Moreau 
Chambers, an archeologist with the Mississippi Department of Archives 
and History, as part of an ongoing survey and legally authorized 
excavation of Chickasaw sites in Lee County, MS. The excavation and 
survey were undertaken to study Chickasaw culture and find the location 
of the Battle of Ackia as part of the process for establishing Ackia 
Battleground National Monument. No known individual was identified. The 
two associated funerary objects are one bent cuprous metal band (sheet 
brass ring) found around the bone fragment and one pottery sherd.
    The Alston-Wilson site, now better known as MLe14 because of later 
excavations by Jesse Jennings in 1939 on behalf of the National Park 
Service, has a major occupation dating to A.D. 1730-1750. Archeological 
evidence found at the Alston-Wilson site suggests that this site was 
part of a major historic Chickasaw village. In the 1730s, there were 
two major villages in the vicinity of the Alston-Wilson site that were 
occupied by the Chickasaw: Tchichatala and Falatchao. Tchichatala was a 
major Chickasaw village. Falatchao was a ``white mother'' town meaning 
it was both a ``white'' town (or a peace town, as opposed to a ``red'' 
war town) and a ``mother'' town from which other towns emerged (Hudson 
1976: 238-239).
    Both Tchichatala and Falatchao are recognized in historical 
documents as being occupied by the Chickasaw. However, because of the 
fluid nature of Chickasaw village occupation, it is difficult to 
identify the specific boundaries of historic Chickasaw villages. 
Therefore, based on the archeological evidence that the site was part 
of a major Chickasaw village and at that time both villages were in the 
area, the Alston-Wilson site is most probably part of either the site 
of the village of Tchichatala or Falatchao. (Atkinson 1985, 2004; Brad 
Lieb, personal communication 2004; Cook et al. 1980; Jennings 1941; 
Johnson et al. 2004). Furthermore, based on historical evidence that 
Lee County, MS, where the Alston-Wilson site is located, was occupied 
by the Chickasaw until their removal to Oklahoma from 1837 until 1850, 
the site is probably Chickasaw. The Chickasaws are represented by the 
present-day Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
    Officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, 
Historic Preservation Division have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, 
Historic Preservation Division also have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the two objects described above 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. 
Lastly, officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and 
History, Historic Preservation Division have determined that, pursuant 
to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity 
that can be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains 
and associated funerary objects and the Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Pamela D. Edwards, Curator of Archaeological 
Collections, Mississippi

[[Page 35452]]

Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division, 
P.O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205, telephone (601) 576-6940, before July 
20, 2005. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma may proceed after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic 
Preservation Division is responsible for notifying the Chickasaw 
Nation, Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 31, 2005.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 05-12029 Filed 6-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S