[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 106 (Monday, June 4, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30827-30828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10715]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Augusta State University, 
Department of History, and Anthropology, and Philosophy, Archaeology 
Laboratory, Augusta, GA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 an associated funerary 
object in the possession of Augusta State University, Department of 
History and Anthropology, Archaeology Laboratory, Augusta, GA. The 
human remains and associated funerary object were removed from McIntosh 
County, GA.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Augusta 
State University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole 
Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, 
Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations). The Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama was invited to consult but did not participate.
    At an unknown time prior to September 1971, human remains 
representing a minimum of one individual were removed from an 
unidentified site on Creighton Island, McIntosh County, GA, by an 
unknown party or parties. The human remains were discovered in a room 
of Augusta College (now Augusta State University) that had previously 
been used by an earlier instructor as an archeology lab.

[[Page 30828]]

No known individual was identified. The one associated funerary object 
is a conch shell.
    The human remains had been stored in a paper bag. The bag itself 
had no identifying information, but it contained a modified conch shell 
that is reasonably believe to be a ritual drinking vessel with an ink 
inscription inside the lip of the shell. The inscription reads 
``Creighton Is., McIntosh Co, Ga.'' The bag also contained two 
fragmentary human bones. No further documentation exists, but it is 
reasonable to believe that the conch shell and human remains have the 
same provenience.
    It is reasonable to believe that the human remains and the 
associated funerary object are culturally affiliated with the Creeks or 
Seminoles based on historical and archeological evidence of their 
traditional homelands and by claims of modern descendants. Descendants 
of the Creek and Seminole are members of the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation 
of 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.
    Officials of the Augusta State 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 one individual of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of Augusta State University also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the one object 
described above is 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 Augusta State 
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 
funerary object and the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation of 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 the human remains and associated funerary 
object should contact Dr. Christopher Murphy, Augusta State University, 
2500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904, telephone (706) 667-4562, before 
July 5, 2007. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
object to Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma; and Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 
Hollywood & Tampa Reservations) may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    Augusta State University is responsible for notifying the Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
Muscogee (Creek) Nation of 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 that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 9, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-10715 Filed 6-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S