[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12836-12839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04401]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22877; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: The Florida Department of State/
Division of Historical Resources, Tallahassee, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Florida Department of State/Division of Historical 
Resources has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation 
with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, 
and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and any present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations.

[[Page 12837]]

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 should submit a written request to the Florida 
Department of State/Division of Historical Resources. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to 
the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this 
notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 should submit a written 
request with information in support of the request to the Florida 
Department of State/Division of Historical Resources at the address in 
this notice by April 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Daniel M. Seinfeld, Florida Department of State, Division of 
Historical Resources, Mission San Luis State Archaeological 
Collections, 2100 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304, 
telephone (850) 245-6301.

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 under 
the control of the Florida Department of State/Division of Historical 
Resources. The human remains were removed from several counties in 
Florida and indeterminate locations in Florida.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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. 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 Florida 
Department of State/Division of Historical Resources professional staff 
in consultation with representatives of the Miccosukee Tribe of 
Indians. The following tribes were invited to consult but did not 
participate in consultation: 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, and The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 3 
individuals were removed from an unknown site most likely located in 
Nassau or Clay Counties, FL. The human remains were in a box labeled 
``Johnson's Lake.'' While Marion County, FL, has a Johnson Lake site 
(8MR63), it is not known to contain burials. Close variations of the 
place name (Johnson Lake, Lake Johnson) are located in Nassau and Clay 
Counties, FL. Coquina shell and crab claw fragments were in the box 
with the human remains. These items are not believed to be grave goods 
but their presence is consistent with archeological sites near the east 
coast of Florida. The human remains are fragmented and their degree of 
mineralization and dental attrition is consistent with human remains 
from prehistoric skeletal human remains from Florida. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 1 
individual were removed from an unknown site, most likely in Daytona 
Beach, Volusia County, FL. The human remains were in a small box 
labeled ``John Raabe skull fragments'' and contained small cranial 
fragments as well as marine and land snail shells. John Raabe was a 
local collector in Daytona Beach, FL. The bones were fragmented and 
mineralized, as is typical of prehistoric skeletal human remains from 
Florida. The fragmented nature of the human remains and their 
association in the box with shell is consistent archeological contexts 
in peninsular Florida. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 4 
individuals were removed from an unknown site, most likely in Volusia 
County, FL. These human remains were housed with other archeological 
material that came from Volusia County, FL, collectors. The bones were 
fragmented and mineralized, as is typical of prehistoric skeletal human 
remains from Florida. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 1 
individual were removed from the Bissetts Mound site (8VO122) in 
Volusia County, FL. The human remains were found in a bag labeled 
``Bissetts Mound,'' which is a known site (8VO122) in Volusia County, 
FL. The site dates to between 700 B.C. to A.D. 1700 and is known to 
contain burials. Due to the fragmented nature of the human remains, 
there are no biological markers with which to assess ancestry. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 2 
individuals were removed from the Ormond Mound site (8VO240) in Volusia 
County, FL. The human remains are highly mineralized and encased in a 
shell midden matrix. Their reported discovery site, Ormond Mound, is a 
known prehistoric Native American burial ground. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The human remains in this notice from Nassau, Clay, and Volusia 
counties, FL, are part of a larger collection from the Museum of Arts 
and Sciences in Daytona Beach, FL. The Museum of Arts and Sciences in 
Daytona Beach accepted numerous donations in the past, often with 
little documentation. The Florida Department of State/Division of 
Historical Resources assumed jurisdiction over these human remains 
pursuant to Section 872.05, Florida Statutes. A physical anthropologist 
determined that the human remains were from a prehistoric Native 
American based on physical examination and the context in which they 
were reported discovered.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, 1 
individual were removed from an unknown site in Hillsborough County, 
FL. In October 2013, a woman brought to the Tampa Police Department a 
box containing human bones and pottery that she found in her deceased 
uncle's attic. She told police that her uncle and father were 
construction workers in the Tampa area and would often dig through 
construction sites collecting bones and artifacts. She had no knowledge 
of where the bones came from or how long her uncle had them in his 
possession. A detective with the Tampa Police Department brought the 
bones to the medical examiner who then suggested she bring them to Dr. 
Erin Kimmerle, a physical anthropologist with the University of South 
Florida. Dr. Kimmerle noted that the bones were likely human remains 
from a prehistoric Native American. In May 2014, the Florida Department 
of State/Division of Historical Resources assumed jurisdiction over 
these human remains pursuant to Section 872.05, Florida Statutes. A 
physical anthropologist determined that the human remains were from a 
prehistoric Native American, based on dental wear patterns, the 
condition of the human remains, and artifacts found in the box with the 
human remains. The two

[[Page 12838]]

molars were worn, which is typical of prehistoric Native American 
populations in Florida. The fragmented and chalky condition of the 
human remains is also common among prehistoric human remains in 
Florida. Pottery in the shoebox with the human remains was 
characteristic of the Safety Harbor (A.D. 900-1700) period in the Tampa 
area of Florida. Such pottery is consistent with the human remains 
found during construction in the Tampa area. The specific contextual 
relationship between the pottery and the human remains is unclear. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    At an unknown date in the 1970s, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 1 individual were removed from the Fairyland Hill site 
(8BR162) in Brevard County, FL. In 2013, the individual who removed the 
human remains brought them to a local professional archeologist. The 
archeologist assessed that these human remains were ancient, and passed 
this information along to the Florida Department of State/Division of 
Historical Resources. In March 2013, the Florida Department of State/
Division of Historical Resources assumed jurisdiction over these human 
remains pursuant to Section 872.05, Florida Statutes. The human remains 
were determined to be from a prehistoric Native American from Florida 
based on their morphology and their reported discovery location. A 
physical anthropologist determined that the human remains were from a 
prehistoric Native American based on level of dental attrition and 
condition of the bones. The donor recalled finding the human remains 
from the Fairyland Hill site (8BR162), a known archeological site. His 
reports were confirmed by newspaper clippings and notes from the time 
that were in the Florida Master Site File. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date in the 1950s, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 2 individuals were removed from the Coonbottom Mound site 
(8JE13) in Jefferson County, FL. In November 2014, the person who 
removed the human remains gave them to a local professional 
archeologist who confirmed that the human remains were ancient. In 
November 2014, the Florida Department of State/Division of Historical 
Resources assumed jurisdiction over these human remains pursuant to 
Section 872.05, Florida Statutes. The human remains were determined to 
be from a prehistoric Native American from Florida based on their 
morphology and their reported context. A physical anthropologist 
determined that the human remains were from a prehistoric Native 
American based on the condition of the human remains and the context in 
which they were reportedly discovered. The donor recalled finding the 
human remains in the Coonbottom Mound site (8JE13), an archeological 
site that is known to contain human remains. The human remains' 
fragmented and mineralized condition is consistent with ancient human 
remains. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    At an unknown date in the 1980s, human remains representing, at 
minimum, 1 individual were collected from an unknown site in Brevard 
County, FL. After the person who found the human remains passed away, 
his family members contacted the Florida Department of State/Division 
of Historical Resources. In 2015, the Florida Department of State/
Division of Historical Resources assumed jurisdiction over these human 
remains pursuant to Section 872.05, Florida Statutes. The human remains 
were determined to be from a prehistoric Native American from Florida 
based on physical examination and the context in which they were 
reportedly discovered. A physical anthropologist determined that the 
human remains were from a prehistoric Native American based on the 
level of dental wear and condition of the human remains. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1981, human remains representing, at minimum, 2 individuals were 
removed from the Pillsbury Mound (8MA31) in Manatee County, FL. These 
human remains were in the collections of the Southeast Archeological 
Center in Tallahassee, FL. During an assessment of their collections, 
Southeast Archeological Center staff realized these human remains were 
under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of State/Division of 
Historical Resources and transferred them to the Florida Department of 
State/Division of Historical Resources in 2015. The human remains are 
fragmented and their degree of mineralization is consistent with human 
remains from prehistoric contexts in Florida. Previous archeological 
investigations have demonstrated that the Pillsbury Mound is a known 
burial mound that dates to the Late Weeden Island and Safety Harbor 
periods (A.D. 800-1700). No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 2013, human remains representing, at minimum, 25 individuals 
were removed from the McClamory Key site (8LV288) in Levy County, FL. 
In the fall of 2012, pursuant to Section 872.05, Florida Statutes, the 
Florida Department of State/Division of Historical Resources received 
information that burials were becoming exposed along the shore of 
McClamory Key, an uninhabited island owned by the State of Florida. 
Archeologists investigating the human remains found that they were 
likely thousands of years old and that sea level rise was exposing at 
least 20 burials. Through the course of multiple investigations, 
archeologists found evidence that some of the burials were being 
illicitly disturbed. Following consultation with representatives from 
the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians and Seminole Tribe of Florida 
(previously listed as the Seminole Tribe of Florida (Dania, Big 
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations)), pursuant to 
Section 872.05, Florida Statutes, it was determined that the only way 
to protect the burials from further looting was to remove and relocate 
the exposed burials to a safe location. Relocation on the island was 
impossible because it is rapidly degrading due to sea level rise. 
Archeologists from the University of Florida Laboratory for 
Southeastern Archaeology led efforts to excavate the human remains in 
March 2013. Based on the archeological context, the human remains 
likely date to 5000-4500 B.P. In 2016, the human remains were 
transferred to the Florida Department of State/Division of Historical 
Resources after inventorying and reporting requirements were completed. 
The human remains were determined to be prehistoric Native Americans 
based on their archeological context and osteological analysis. No 
known individuals were identified. Associated funerary objects include 
four hafted lithic bifaces.

Determinations Made by the Florida Department of State/Division of 
Historical Resources

    Officials of the Florida Department of State, Division of 
Historical Resources have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on contextual information and 
osteological analysis.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 43 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 4 objects described 
in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed with or near 
individual human remains

[[Page 12839]]

at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and any present-day Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains may be to the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 should submit a written request with information 
in support of the request to Daniel M. Seinfeld, Florida Department of 
State/Division of Historical Resources, Mission San Luis State 
Archaeological Collections, 2100 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 
32304, (850) 245-6301, by April 6, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians may proceed.
    The Florida Department of State/Division of Historical Resources is 
responsible for notifying the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: February 7, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-04401 Filed 3-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P