[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58403-58404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15830]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038300; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Tennessee, 
Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN, and Tennessee Department of 
Environment and Conservation, Division of Archaeology, Nashville, TN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Tennessee, Department of 
Anthropology (UTK) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and 
Conservation, Division of Archaeology (TDEC-DOA) have completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after August 19, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Ellen Lofaro, University of Tennessee, Office of 
Repatriation, 5723 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37921-6053, 
telephone (865) 974-3370, email [email protected] and Phillip R. Hodge, 
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of 
Archaeology, 1216 Foster Avenue, Cole Building #3, Nashville, TN 37243, 
telephone (615) 626-2025, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of UTK 
and TDEC-DOA, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in their 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, 16 individuals have been 
identified. The 101 lots of associated funerary objects are 17 lots of 
lithics, 15 lots of faunal remains, 32 lots of floatation samples, 17 
lots of charcoal, 15 lots of clay, three lots of hematite, and two lots 
of shell. These individuals were removed from 40GL26, the Bailey site, 
in Giles County, TN. The Bailey site was identified during an 
archeological survey by the Tennessee Department of Transportation 
(TDOT) due to proposed replacement of a bridge over Sugar Creek and 
relocation of part of State Route 11. TDOT applied for and received the 
required permits from TDEC-DOA. UTK was contracted to excavate and did 
so from May 20 to August 23, 1986. All cultural material and 
disinterred remains were transferred to UTK, where they have been 
housed since. While some of the human remains have been ``repaired'' 
using glue, to our knowledge, no known hazardous substances were used 
to treat any of the remains or objects.
    Human remains representing at least, two individuals have been 
identified. The single associated funerary object is one lot of faunal 
remains. These individuals were removed from a mound in Giles County, 
TN, around 1970 and donated to UTK by Greg Rost on an unknown date 
prior to 2016. Given the location and site type, this unknown site 
could be part of 40GL14, the Potts site. To our knowledge, no known 
hazardous substances were used to treat any of the remains or objects.
    Cultural affiliation between these human remains and funerary 
objects, and the Indian Tribes listed in this notice was established 
via historical information, geographical information, and oral 
tradition. Giles County, TN is part of lands ceded to the United States 
by the Chickasaw, as recorded in, Treaty with the Chickasaw, 1805. 
Giles County, TN is also part of lands ceded to the United States by 
the Cherokee, as recorded in, Treaty with the Cherokee, 1806, and 
Treaty with the Cherokee, 1807. Tribal oral tradition also establishes 
that Muscogee (Creek) Ancestors once inhabited Giles County.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available 
about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in 
this notice.

Determinations

    UTK and TDEC-DOA have determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 18 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 102 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Cherokee 
Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Poarch Band of Creek Indians; 
The Chickasaw Nation; and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the

[[Page 58404]]

authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. 
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after August 
19, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, UTK and 
TDEC-DOA must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. UTK and TDEC-DOA are responsible for sending a copy 
of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: July 10, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-15830 Filed 7-17-24; 8:45 am]
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