Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Ocmulgee National Monument, Macon, GA, 25621-25622 [2017-11451]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 105 (Friday, June 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25621-25622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11451]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-23205; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
the Interior, National Park Service, Ocmulgee National Monument, Macon, 
GA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Ocmulgee National Monument, in consultation with the appropriate Indian 
tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the 
cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of 
any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written 
request to Ocmulgee National Monument. If no additional claimants come 
forward, transfer of control of the cultural items 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 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to Ocmulgee National Monument at 
the address in this notice by July 3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Jim David, Superintendent, Ocmulgee National Monument, 1207 
Emery Highway, Macon, GA 31217, telephone (478) 752-8257, email 
jim_david@nps.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Ocmulgee National Monument, Macon, GA, that meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 
Superintendent, Ocmulgee National Monument.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    Between 1933 and 1958, 25,127 cultural items were removed from the 
Trading Post area of the Macon Plateau in Bibb County, GA, during 
multiple legally authorized excavations. The human remains were 
repatriated to culturally affiliated tribes in 2015 by the Smithsonian 
Institution, National Museum of Natural History. The 25,127 
unassociated funerary objects are 2 abraders, 2 armbands, 41 balls, 
22,045 beads, 16 bells, 10 bifaces, 499 animal remains, 3 bags of 
animal bone, 1 liquor bottle, 2 bowls, 1 bullet, 33 buttons, 5 charcoal 
fragments, 1 chopper, 29 pieces of fired clay, 2 pieces of unfired 
clay, 10 concretions, 3 cores, 2 cuff links, 11 pieces of daub, 101 
pieces of debitage, 303 flakes, 28 flake tools, 2 flat rectangular 
copper fragments, 98 shells, 1 glass fragment, 1 gorget, 1 graver, 6 
gun flints, 1 knife, 2 metal fragments, 1 metal pendant, 1 mug, 4 
musket balls, 3 nails, 2 plant fragments, 1 nutting stone, 1 pipe, 15 
projectile points, 7 preforms, 1 rivet, 5 scrapers, 1 seed, 33 pieces 
of shatter, 2 bags of shell, 2 worked shells, 4 pieces of slag, 1 
spiral spring, 53 unmodified stones, 2 sword fragments, 3 tobacco 
pipes, 1 tack, 1 bag of unmodified stone, 1,705 vessel fragments, 5 
windowpane fragments, 6 wires, 1 worked stone, and 4 flintlock muskets.
    The trading post at Macon was operated by the British from 1685-
1717. The historic Creek town associated with the trading post has long 
been thought to have been Ocmulgee. Burials excavated at this site were 
identified as historic Creek on the basis of European trade goods found 
in association with the remains. Residents of the Creek town of 
Ocmulgee moved to the Chattahoochee River after 1717. Historical 
documentation reflects a great deal of movement and reorganization 
among the Creeks and the Creek Confederacy during the 18th and 19th 
centuries. Ten present-day Indian tribes are thought to include Creek 
descendants including the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Kialegee Tribal 
Town, Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, Poarch Band of Creeks, Seminole 
Tribe of Florida, The Muscogee (Creek) Nation, The Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma, and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town.

Determinations Made by Ocmulgee National Monument

    Officials of Ocmulgee National Monument have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 25,127 cultural 
items described above 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of 
the evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a 
Native American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas 
(previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas), Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Kialegee Tribal 
Town, Miccosukee Tribe of 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, and Thlopthlocco 
Tribal Town.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Jim David, Superintendent, Ocmulgee National 
Monument, 1207 Emery Highway, Macon, GA 31217, telephone (478) 752-
8257, email jim_david@nps.gov, by July 3, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary

[[Page 25622]]

objects to Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the 
Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas), Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, 
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Kialegee Tribal Town, Miccosukee Tribe of 
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, and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town may proceed.
    Ocmulgee National Monument is responsible for notifying the 
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Alabama-Coushatta Tribe 
of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas), 
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Catawba Indian Nation (aka Catawba Tribe 
of South Carolina), Cherokee Nation, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, 
Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, Kialegee Tribal Town, 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)), Shawnee Tribe, The Chickasaw Nation, The Choctaw Nation 
of Oklahoma, The Muscogee (Creek) Nation, The Seminole Nation of 
Oklahoma, Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, and United Keetowah Band of 
Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 3, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-11451 Filed 6-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P