[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9372-9374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1628]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: David Phelps Archaeology 
Laboratory of East Carolina University, East Carolina University, 
Greenville, NC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby 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 David Phelps Archaeology Laboratory of 
East Carolina University, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC. The 
human remains and associated funeray objects were removed from Bertie, 
Greene, Hertford, and Martin Counties, NC.
    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 professional 
staff of the David Phelps Archaeology Laboratory of East Carolina 
University in consultation with representatives of the Tuscarora Nation 
of New York.
    In 1971 and 1978, human remains representing a minimum of 20 
individuals were removed from the

[[Page 9373]]

Jordan's Landing site (31 BR7), Bertie County, NC, during excavations 
conducted by East Carolina University professional staff and supervised 
field school students. No known individuals were identified. The 4,436 
associated funerary objects are identified as 17 faunal bones, 8 
triangular chipped stone projectile points, 1 hammerstone, 1 shell 
dipper, 4,288 marginella beads, 29 columnella shell beads, 86 shell 
disc beads, 1 shell pendent, a deposit of red ochre, 1 ceramic shred, 
and 2 bone pins.
    Based on the types of associated funerary objects, the human 
remains have been determined to be Native American. Based on geographic 
placement and later historic documentation, there are reasonable 
grounds to believe that the human remains are culturally affiliated 
with the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    In 1971, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from site 31MT16, Martin County, NC, during a cultural 
resource management survey conducted by East Carolina University 
professional staff. The human remains were highly fragmented in a 
midden deposit and commingled with faunal remains. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on archaeological evidence, the human remains have been 
determined to be Native American. Based on geographic placement, there 
are reasonable grounds to believe that the human remains are culturally 
affiliated with the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    In 1972, human remains representing a minimum of 20 individuals 
were removed from the San Souci East site (31 BR5), Bertie County, NC, 
by an artifact collector and turned over the East Carolina University 
archeology lab. The human remains were highly fragmented and scattered. 
No known individuals were identified. The 388 associated funerary 
objects are identified as 3 faunal bones (2 deer antler dog/canine 
skull), 373 marginella beads, 4 bone pins, 2 bone awls, 4 bone 
pendants, and 2 bone needles.
    Based on the types of associated funerary objects, the human 
remains have been determined to be Native American. Based on the 
archeological evidence, the San Souci East site has been identified as 
a Late Prehistoric period occupation (A.D. 800-1650) (Ward & Davis, 
``Time Before History: The Archaeology of North Carolina''). Based on 
geographic placement and later historic documentation, there are 
reasonable grounds to believe that the human remains and cultural items 
are culturally affiliated with the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    In 1983, highly fragmented human remains representing a minimum of 
one individual were removed from site 31HF30 in Hertford County, NC, by 
East Carolina University professional staff. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on archeological evidence, the human remains have been 
determined to be Native American. Based on geographic placement, there 
are reasonable grounds to believe that the human remains are culturally 
affiliated with the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    In January 1990, human remains representing a minimum of seven 
individuals were removed from Fort Neoheroka (31GR4) in Greene County, 
NC, during excavations conducted by East Carolina University 
professional staff and supervised field school students. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    Based on archeological evidence and historical documentation, the 
human remains have been determined to be Native American. Based on 
geographic placement and historical documentation, there are reasonable 
grounds to believe that the human remains and associated funerary items 
are culturally affiliated with the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    In 1992, highly fragmented human remains representing a minimum of 
20 individuals were removed from the Kearney site (31GR84) in Greene, 
County, NC, by East Carolina University professional staff and a local 
artifact collector. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects were present.
    Based on archeological evidence, the human remains have been 
determined to be Native American. Based on geographic placement, there 
are reasonable grounds to believe that the human remains and associated 
funerary items are culturally affiliated with the Tuscarora Nation of 
New York.
    Archeologists have long considered the North Carolina Coastal Plain 
to be comprised of distinct cultural and archeological areas. These 
areas generally are seen to coincide with tribal and linguistic 
groupings recognized by anthropologists who have studied the 
ethnographic records. The Coastal Plain can be divided into northern 
and southern regions. The northern region extends from the Neuse River 
basin to the Virginia state line and encompasses the area occupied by 
Algonkian- and Iroquoisan-speaking groups at the time of the arrival of 
the first English colonists. The Algonkians lived in the eastern 
Tidewater zone of the northern coast, whereas the Iroquois, represented 
by the Tuscaroras, occupied the interior coastal plain. The interior 
coastal plain region has been chronologically divided into two phases, 
which are the Mount Pleasant phase (500 B.C.-A.D. 800) and the Cashie 
phase (A.D. 800-A.D. 1715) (Ward & Davis). Based on the archeological 
evidence, the sites described above have been identified as a Middle 
(Mount Pleasant phase) to Late (Cashie phase) Woodland Period 
occupation. The Tuscaroras occupied this area from at least the Mount 
Pleasant phase until historical times. Descendants of the Tuscaroras 
are members of the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    Officials of the Phelps Archaeology Laboratory at East Carolina 
University have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the 
human remains described above represent the physical remains of at 
least 70 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
Phelps Archaeology Laboratory at East Carolina University also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 4,824 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 rate or ceremony. Lastly, officials of the Phelps Archaeology 
Laboratory at East Carolina University 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 fragmented objects of the Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and/or associated 
funerary objects should contact Dr. Charles R. Ewen, Director, 
Archaeology Laboratories, Department of Anthropology, East Carolina 
University, telephone (252) 328-9454, before March 27, 2006. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Tuscarora Nation of New York may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Phelps Archaeology Laboratory of East Carolina University is 
responsible for notifying the Tuscarora Nation of New York that this 
notice has been published.


[[Page 9374]]


    Dated: February 9, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 06-1628 Filed 2-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-M