[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14862-14863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05808]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039835; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Troy University, Troy, AL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Troy University has 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 May 5, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Gabrielle C. Purcell, Archaeology Lab Coordinator, Troy 
University, 327 MSCX, Troy, AL 36082, telephone (334) 808-6771, email 
[email protected] and [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 Troy 
University, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

Walnut Creek (1PK2)

    Human remains representing, at least, 18 individuals have been 
identified. The 1,465 associated funerary objects are 1,227 pottery 
sherds, 10 stone tools, 177 lithic flakes, two quartz, 37 hematite, 10 
lots of charcoal, one iron, and one ochre. The site is located in Pike 
County, Alabama near the city of Troy, and was excavated in 1975 by 
MacDonald Brooms of Troy University. Walnut Creek dates primarily to 
the Mississippian period. These human remains and associated funerary 
objects were then housed in the Troy University Archaeology Laboratory. 
No known hazardous substances were used to treat any of the human 
remains or associated funerary objects.

Unknown Site, Pike County, AL (1PK?)

    Human remains representing, at least, seven individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human 
remains were given to Troy University by the Pioneer Museum of Alabama 
in Troy, Alabama in the 1990s or 2000s. The acquisition of these human 
remains by the Pioneer Museum is unknown but likely came from a site 
located in Pike County, Alabama. The date of this site is unknown. 
These human remains were then housed in the Troy University Forensics 
Laboratory. No known hazardous substances were used to treat any of the 
human remains.

[[Page 14863]]

Coosa River Survey (1EE?)

    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The site is 
located in Elmore County, Alabama, along the Coosa River. Collection is 
believed to have been carried out by Troy University archaeologists 
during a surface collection survey. The date of collection and time 
period for the site are unknown. These human remains were then housed 
at the Troy University Archaeology Laboratory. No known hazardous 
substances were used to treat any of the human remains.

Hawley Money Pit (1HE?)

    Human remains representing, at least, three individuals have been 
identified. The 20 associated funerary objects are two lithic flakes, 
15 stones, two lots of oyster shell, and one green Coke-a-Cola bottle. 
The site is located in Henry County, Alabama near the city of 
Abbeyville, and was excavated in 2002 by MacDonald Brooms of Troy 
University. Hawley Money Pit possibly dates to the Mississippian period 
with some modern intrusion. These human remains and associated funerary 
objects were then housed in the Troy University Archaeology Laboratory. 
No known hazardous substances were used to treat any of the human 
remains or associated funerary objects.

Birmingham Police Department Find (1JE? Case No. 83BHO8328)

    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The location is 
believed to be in Jefferson County, Alabama near Birmingham, and are 
believed to have been collected as a possible crime scene by the 
Birmingham Police Department in 1983. The time period of the site is 
unknown. These human remains were then housed in the Troy University 
Forensics Lab. No known hazardous substances were used to treat any of 
the human remains.

Honey Bluff (9BT?)

    Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The site is 
believed to be located in Brantley County, Georgia. The date of 
excavation, the primary investigator, and the time period for Honey 
Bluff are unknown. These human remains were housed in the Troy 
University Archaeology Laboratory. No known hazardous substances were 
used to treat any of the human remains.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    Troy University has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 32 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 1,485 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 Alabama-
Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Coushatta 
Tribe of Louisiana; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Poarch Band of 
Creek Indians; 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 
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 May 5, 
2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, Troy 
University 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. Troy University is 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: March 26, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-05808 Filed 4-3-25; 8:45 am]
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