[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25469-25470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10219]



[[Page 25469]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12759; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of South Alabama 
Center for Archaeological Studies, Mobile, AL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological 
Studies has completed an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request to the University of 
South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, 
or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the University of South Alabama Center for 
Archaeological Studies at the address in this notice by May 31, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Gregory Waselkov, Director, University of South Alabama 
Center for Archaeological Studies, 6052 USA Drive South, Mobile, AL 
36688, telephone (251) 460-6911.

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 University of 
South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies, Mobile, AL. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Clarke 
County, AL.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Chitimacha Tribe of 
Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; 
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; 
Poarch Band of Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama); Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed as 
the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood 
& Tampa Reservations)); The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Seminole 
Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and the Tunica-Biloxi 
Indian Tribe.

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from site 1CK73 in Clarke County, AL. Ben 
Griffin, a resident of Jackson, AL, removed two burials from this site, 
without knowledge of state and Federal regulations prohibiting such 
activity. The Griffin collection was given to the University of South 
Alabama in 2003. No known individuals were identified.
    The human remains from Burial 1 represent, at minimum, two 
individuals, consisting of 9 molars, 2 molar fragments, 8 pre-molars, 4 
canines, 2 shovel-shaped incisors, 1 proximal tibia shaft, 1 ulna shaft 
fragment, 1 radius shaft fragment, and 22 unidentifiable skeletal 
fragments. The 6,172 associated funerary objects from Burial 1 are 
5,976 glass beads or bead fragments, 1 sand-tempered aboriginal ceramic 
bowl base, 1 brass kettle, 11 brass bracelets, 20 brass button 
fragments, 7 unidentified copper fragments, 19 thin copper wire 
fragments, 38 or more dried vermilion paint fragments, 23 iron nail 
fragments, 68 or more unidentified iron fragments, 2 iron kettle handle 
fragments, 4 flat iron fragments, 1 iron knife blade, and 1 French 
blue-green cylindrical glass bottle in 88 fragments.
    The human remains from Burial 2 represent, at minimum, three 
individuals, consisting of 16 molars, 10 premolars, 9 incisors, 7 
canines, 61 unidentifiable tooth fragments, 1 rib fragment, and 25 
unidentifiable skeletal fragments. The 81 associated funerary objects 
from Burial 2 are 11 glass beads/bead fragments, 2 plain shell-tempered 
ceramic jars, 1 small brass kettle, 1 iron kettle handle fragment, 6 
unidentified flat iron fragments, 4 copper button fragments, 1 bird 
bone, 1 gastropod shell, 4 flat glass fragments, and 50 or more dried 
vermilion paint fragments.
    Site 1CK73 is located on the east bank of the lower Tombigbee 
River, at a place that Halbert and Ball ([1895]1969:113) called the 
``delightful West Bend neighborhood'' in the late 1800s. Cultural 
materials from site 1CK73 indicate use of the site during the Late 
Woodland period (approximately A.D. 700-1100) by people of the late 
Weeden Island and McLeod cultural traditions. Based on the presence of 
one sherd of Chickachae Combed pottery, Ben Coblentz and John Blitz 
concluded that the site may be the remnants of ``Fikitchipunta'' 
(Coblentz and Blitz 1978), one of the last Choctaw villages on the east 
side of the Tombigbee River (John Blitz, personal communication, April 
2005). Support for Coblentz and Blitz's identification of Fikitchipunta 
is found in Halbert and Ball ([1895]1969), who assert that the area of 
site 1CK73 represents a Choctaw reservation called ``Fakit Chipunta,'' 
translated as ``Little Turkeys'' and ``Turkey Town'' by English 
speakers. The artifacts associated with both Burial 1 and Burial 2 
indicate interment dates in the historical period. Glass beads 
associated with both burials date the burials to circa 1750-1785, when 
the region was occupied and controlled by Choctaws.

Determinations Made by the University of South Alabama Center for 
Archaeological Studies

    Officials of the University of South Alabama Center for 
Archaeological Studies have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of five individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 6,253 objects 
described in this notice 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.

[[Page 25470]]

     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 associated funerary objects and the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Chitimacha Tribe of 
Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; 
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; 
Poarch Band of Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch Band of Creek 
Indians of Alabama); Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed as 
the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood 
& Tampa Reservations)); The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Seminole 
Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and the Tunica-Biloxi 
Indian Tribe.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Dr. Gregory Waselkov, Director, University of 
South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies, 6052 USA Drive South, 
Mobile, AL 36688, telephone (251) 460-6911, by May 31, 2013. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Chitimacha 
Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of 
Louisiana; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Mississippi Band of Choctaw 
Indians; Poarch Band of Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch Band of 
Creek Indians of Alabama); Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously listed 
as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, 
Hollywood & Tampa Reservations)); The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The 
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and the Tunica-
Biloxi Indian Tribe may proceed.
    The University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies 
is responsible for notifying the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas 
(previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; 
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Poarch Band of Creeks (previously 
listed as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama); Seminole Tribe 
of Florida (previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, 
Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations)); The Muscogee 
(Creek) Nation; The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal 
Town; and the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: April 3, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Program Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-10219 Filed 4-30-13; 8:45 am]
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