[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 811-812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00061]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19930; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Museum of Natural 
History, Yale University, New Haven, CT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Peabody Museum of Natural History 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 remain 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 the human remain and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request to the Peabody Museum of Natural History. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remain 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 the human remain and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to the Peabody Museum of Natural History at the address in 
this notice by February 8, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Professor David Skelly, Director, Yale Peabody Museum of 
Natural History, P.O. Box 208118, New Haven, CT 06520-8118, telephone 
(203) 432-3752.

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 Peabody Museum of 
Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, CT. The human remain and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Pine Island, Marshall 
County, AL.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative

[[Page 812]]

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 Peabody 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; the Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; the 
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of 
North Carolina; the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; the Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation, Oklahoma; the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; and the 
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    Prior to 1915, human remains representing, at minimum, one adult 
individual were removed from Pine Island in Marshall County, AL by John 
H. Gunter and donated to the Peabody Museum of Natural History. No 
known individuals were identified. The 82 associated funerary objects 
are one ceramic vessel fragment, parts of two flint-lock muskets, two 
lead balls, 65 brass tinklers, one lot of blue and white glass trade 
beads, two brass bells (variety Circarch), four ramrod thimbles, two 
metal springs, and three textile fragments.
    Historical and archeological documentation has identified the early 
inhabitants of the Guntersville Basin as the Koasati (as called by the 
English) or Kaskinampo (as called by the French), with the Cherokee 
moving into the region later in the 18th century. Archeological 
investigations on Pine Island in the late 1800s and again in the 1930s 
identified both proto-historic and historic occupations. The historic 
McKee Island Phase occupation dates to approximately A.D. 1650 to 1715. 
After 1715, it is believed the Koasati abandoned the island and moved 
south to the Coosa-Tallapoosa River junction. The associated funerary 
objects are consistent with the earlier historic McKee Island phase 
occupation of Pine Island by the Koasati. Historical, linguistic, and 
tribal evidence indicates that descendants of the Koasati are members 
of four federally recognized tribes: The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of 
Texas, the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma, the Coushatta Tribe 
of Louisiana, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma.

Determinations made by the Peabody Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Natural History have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 82 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.
     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 remain and associated funerary objects and the Alabama-
Coushatta Tribes of Texas, the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma, 
the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, 
Oklahoma.

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 the human remain and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to Professor David Skelly, Director, Yale Peabody Museum of 
Natural History, P.O. Box 208118, New Haven, CT 06520-8118, telephone 
(203) 432-3752, by February 8, 2016. After that date, if no additional 
requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remain 
and associated funerary objects to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of 
Texas, the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma, the Coushatta Tribe 
of Louisiana, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation may proceed.
    The Peabody Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas; the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, 
Oklahoma; the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; the Chickasaw Nation, 
Oklahoma; the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; the 
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; 
the Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; and the United Keetoowah Band 
of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 8, 2015.
Amberleigh Malone,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-00061 Filed 1-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P