[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 107 (Monday, June 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 32982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13454]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-10270; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Valley Authority and 
the University of Tennessee McClung Museum, Knoxville, TN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the University of 
Tennessee McClung Museum (McClung Museum) have completed an inventory 
of human remains and associated funerary objects in consultation with 
the appropriate Indian tribes, and have determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects, and a present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian 
tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human 
remains and associated funerary objects may contact the TVA and McClung 
Museum. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional 
claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact the TVA and McClung Museum at the address below 
by July 5, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 
11D, Knoxville, TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 under the control of the TVA and in the 
custody of the McClung Museum, Knoxville, TN. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from the Hiwassee Island site 
in Meigs County, TN.
    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, if applicable. 
The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in 
this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the TVA and 
McClung Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of 
Texas; Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, 
Oklahoma; Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, 
North Carolina; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal 
Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of 
Florida; Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; 
and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between April 23, 1937 and January 5, 1939, human remains 
representing, at minimum, 37 individuals were removed by archeologist 
from the University of Tennessee's Division of Anthropology on Hiwassee 
Island, site 40MG31. Hiwassee Island is located seven miles south of 
the town of Dayton, TN, and is approximately 29 miles upstream of the 
TVA's Chickamauga Dam. The archeologists were working under a ``Permit 
for Archeological Exploration'' between the landowner and the TVA, and 
the excavations were undertaken in connection with the TVA's 
construction of Chickamauga Dam and Reservoir. Details regarding the 
excavations and analysis can be found in Hiwassee Island: An 
Archaeological Account of Four Tennessee Indian Peoples, by Thomas M.N. 
Lewis and Madeline Kneberg, University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, 
TN.
    Since excavation, the human remains and associated funerary objects 
from site 40MG31 have been curated at the McClung Museum at the 
University of Tennessee. The human remains were removed from 32 burial 
units which date to the historic period. Other burial units were 
excavated at the site but are not included in this notice. No known 
individuals were identified. The 1 lot of associated funerary objects 
includes approximately 2,524 beads, 4 bells, approximately 17 clasps, 4 
cones, 1 brass spoon, 1 iron snuff box, 3 worked shells, 1 shell 
gorget, 1 shell hairpin, 1 ceramic pot, iron wire, 1 lead shot, 
approximately 2 discoidals, copper wire, and 2 copper ornaments.

Determinations Made by the TVA and McClung Museum

    Officials of the TVA and McClung Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 37 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the approximately 2,564 
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.
     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 Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation of Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. Thomas 
O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT 11D, Knoxville, TN 37902-
1401, telephone (865) 632-7458 before July 5, 2012. Repatriation of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation of Oklahoma may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The TVA is responsible for notifying the of the Absentee Shawnee 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Alabama Quassarte 
Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; Chickasaw Nation, 
Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina; Eastern 
Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida; Shawnee Tribe, 
Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; and United Keetoowah Band 
of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 30, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-13454 Filed 6-1-12; 8:45 am]
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