Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, TN, 8800-8802 [2021-02609]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 9, 2021 / Notices
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
remains and associated funerary objects
and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians;
Seminole Tribe of Florida (previously
listed as Seminole Tribe of Florida
(Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton,
Hollywood & Tampa Reservations)); and
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
(hereafter referred to as ‘‘The Tribes’’),
based on oral tradition, archeological,
geographic, and linguistic evidence.
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 these human remains and associated
funerary objects should submit a written
request with information in support of
the request to Kathryn M. Mellouk,
Associate Vice President for Research
Compliance, Boston University, One
Silber Way, 9th floor, Boston, MA
02215, telephone (617) 358–4730, email
kateski@bu.edu, by March 11, 2021.
After that date, if no additional
requestors have come forward, transfer
of control of the human remains and
associated funerary objects to The
Tribes may proceed.
Boston University is responsible for
notifying The Tribes that this notice has
been published.
Dated: January 21, 2021.
Melanie O’Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021–02610 Filed 2–8–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0031400;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion:
Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville,
TN
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) has completed an
inventory of human remains and
associated funerary objects in
consultation with the appropriate
Indian Tribes, and has determined that
there is no cultural affiliation between
the human remains and associated
funerary objects and any present-day
Indian Tribes. Representatives of any
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SUMMARY:
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Indian Tribe not identified in this notice
that wish to request transfer of control
of these human remains and associated
funerary objects should submit a written
request to the TVA. If no additional
requestors come forward, transfer of
control of the human remains and
associated funerary objects to the Indian
Tribe stated in this notice may proceed.
Representatives of any Indian
Tribe not identified in this notice that
wish to request transfer of control of
these human remains and associated
funerary objects should submit a written
request with information in support of
the request to the TVA at the address in
this notice by March 11, 2021.
DATES:
Dr. Thomas O. Maher,
Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West
Summit Hill Drive, WT11C, Knoxville
TN 37902–1401, telephone (865) 632–
7458, email tomaher@tva.gov.
ADDRESSES:
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
Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville,
TN, and stored at the McClung Museum
at the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, TN (UTK). The human
remains and associated funerary objects
were excavated from sites 40BN12,
40DR1, 40DR43, and 40HY13 in Benton,
Decatur, and Henry Counties, TN.
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 and associated funerary objects.
The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in
this notice.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Consultation
A detailed assessment of the human
remains and associated funerary objects
was made by TVA professional staff in
consultation with representatives of the
Cherokee Nation; Coushatta Tribe of
Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians; The Chickasaw Nation; The
Muscogee (Creek) Nation; The Osage
Nation (previously listed as Osage
Tribe); The Seminole Nation of
Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town;
and the United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma
(hereafter referred to as ‘‘The Consulted
Tribes’’).
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History and Description of the Remains
From September 12 to November 22,
1940, human remains representing, at
minimum, 186 individuals were
removed from site 40BN12, the Eva site
in Benton County, TN. This site was
excavated as part of TVA’s Kentucky
Reservoir project by the University of
Tennessee, using labor and funds
provided by the Works Progress
Administration (WPA). Details
regarding these excavations are in ‘‘Eva
An Archaic Site,’’ authored by Thomas
Lewis and Madeline Kneberg Lewis.
The human remains represent 68
females, 50 males, and 68 individuals of
undeterminable sex. No known
individuals were identified. The 257
associated funerary objects include one
animal bone, one animal incisor, three
antler flakers, three antler tines, one
antler tool, three atlatl hooks, two
bannerstones, one beaver molar, five
blades, 14 bone awls, 10 bone beads,
two bone objects, one bone pendant, one
bone spatula, five coprolites, one daub,
four dog burials, one dog canine tooth,
one dog femur, one drill, two fish hooks,
one gallstone, one bag of green mineral,
two greenstone gorget fragments, one
hair pin, one hammerstone, two knife
bases, 25 lignite fragments, 24 fragments
of ochre, 21 pebbles/drum teeth, 27
projectile points, 77 snake vertebrae
(necklace), one stone, one stone bead,
one turkey bone, seven pieces of turtle
shell, one whetstone, and one worked
bone.
As was common at this time, two
perpendicular 3-foot wide trenches were
placed across the site. Block excavation
proceeded based on the stratigraphic
information derived from the trenches.
Below 5–8 inches of plow-zone, the
excavators identified five strata. The
field supervisor, David Osborne,
described the first stratum as black
humic soil that lacked shell. Stratum II
was comprised of a similar black
midden soil, but in addition, it
contained mussel shell and was nearly
a meter thick near the center of the site.
Stratum III, described as a sandy loam
of variable thickness, was not found
throughout the site. Stratum IV was not
found in all parts of the site, but was
nearly half a meter thick in some areas.
Shell was present near the base of this
stratum. Stratum V was found in the
southern portion of the site. It was
sandy and lacked mussel shell. It also
had the fewest artifacts. NAGPRA
cultural items were found in each
stratum. The chipped stone typology
developed by Lewis and Lewis from
40BN12 has served as the basis for
defining early hunter-gatherer
occupations in the mid-continent. The
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 9, 2021 / Notices
site also produced abundant bone and
antler tools such as awls, needles and
fishhooks. In his 2014 dissertation,
Thaddeus Bissett presented 18
radiocarbon dates from this site. The
calibrated calendar dates range from
8991 ± 151 to 6338 ± 61 B.P. Bissett’s
dissertation also indicated that
occupation at the site mostly dates to
the Middle Archaic.
From August 8 to October 17, 1941,
human remains representing, at
minimum, 97 individuals were
excavated from the Oak View Landing
site, 40DR1, in Decatur County, TN.
Using WPA labor and funds,
archeologists from the University of
Tennessee sought to recover information
from this site prior to the construction
of TVA’s Kentucky Reservoir. The
results of these excavations were never
published. A short field report by Carrol
Burroughs indicates that the site had
been disturbed by an early 20th century
residence and warehouses associated
with the river landing. In his 2014
dissertation, Bissett estimated that a
4,000 square-foot area of the site was
dug and 78 features were identified,
including 44 pits, 23 postmolds, three
caches of river cobbles, two large
depressions, and six burned areas. The
site plan does not reveal any patterning
of the postmolds that would suggest a
structure or wall segment. The plan
does indicate a concentration of burials
in the southwest quadrant of the
excavation units. Based on his analysis
of hafted bifaces and two radiocarbon
dates, Bissett concluded that the
primary occupation of the site ranged
from 5000 to 4000 B.P.
The fragmentary nature of the human
remains made it difficult to determine
the age and sex of the individuals. Of
those that could be evaluated, 24 were
female and 23 were male. They ranged
in age from the one month to 50 years.
No known individuals were identified.
The 244 associated funerary objects
include one abrader, 45 animal bones,
three animal bone flakers, one animal
tooth, one antler, nine antler flakers,
four beaver teeth, one blade tip, 10 bone
awls, eight bone beads, two bone
scrapers, one burned clay object, one
piece of chalk, one chipped stone biface,
73 copper beads, one deer astragalus,
one deer scapula, one dog tooth, two
drilled dog teeth, four drills, two stone
flakes, four gorgets, one hammerstone,
one hematite, five stone knives, one
limestone, two needles, one paint rock,
46 projectile points, four rodent teeth,
one sandstone celt sharpener, two stone
scrapers, one ceramic sherd, one turtle
shell, and two worked bones.
Between August 4–25, 1941, human
remains representing, at minimum, one
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individual were excavated from the
West Britt’s Landing site, 40DR43, in
Decatur County, TN. Charles Nash led a
WPA crew in anticipation of the
construction of the Kentucky Reservoir.
Information on 40DR43 has never been
published. For some years prior to the
excavation, this area had been used as
a landing and loading dock. This
disturbance, as well as active erosion by
the river, led to the destruction of most
of the site. Four strata were defined
during excavation. While ceramics were
found only in the top-most stratum,
stratum three contained most of the
cultural deposits. Of the 21 numbered
features identified, most were
designated as hearths or shallow pits.
Two burial units were identified during
the excavation, but only one retained
recoverable human remains. There are
no radiocarbon dates from this site. The
human remains belong to an adult male.
No known individual was identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
From July through September 1940,
human remains representing, at
minimum, 78 individuals were
excavated from the Kays Landing site,
40HY13, in Henry County, TN. George
Lidberg and a WPA crew excavated
40HY13 in anticipation of the
construction of the Kentucky Reservoir.
The results of these excavations have
never been published. Three trenches
were excavated to identify the
stratigraphy at the site. Five strata were
identified. Stratum I, a black clay loam
4 inches to 3 feet thick, covered the
entire excavation area and was also the
only stratum with prehistoric ceramics.
The upper portion was disturbed by
cultivation. Stratum II, composed of 30–
50% mussel shell mixed with humus
and sand, was designated a shell mound
by Lidberg. While the full extent of this
stratum was not determined, in his 2014
dissertation, Bissett indicated that it was
elliptical and extended roughly 23.5
meters north to south and 22.8 meters
east to west. The shell content
decreased with depth and graded into
Stratum III, a thick layer of sand with
shell fragments. Stratum III ranged from
2 to 3 feet in thickness. Stratum IV
extended over all the excavation units
and was 1–2 feet thick. Lidberg
described it as bands of carbon-stained
sand interspersed with ‘‘clean’’ water
lain sands.
Eighteen numbered pits were
excavated. Most of them were
cylindrical and had flat bottoms. Many
displayed evidence of burning along the
sides, but not on the bottoms. The eight
numbered features included four areas
of burned clay or soil that may have
represented light structures. Also, two
accumulations of charcoal and burned
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8801
bone and one cache of three nutting
stones and three lithic raw material
stones were discovered. The post molds
do not form a pattern representing
structures. Based on radiocarbon dates
and diagnostic bifaces, Bissett identified
three occupations of this site. The
earliest one, represented by strata V and
IV, dates to the late Middle Archaic, ca.
5500–5100 calibrated years B.P. Based
on the number of burial units (46) and
the quantity of artefacts recovered, this
was a substantial occupation. The
second occupation, represented by
strata III and II, dates to the Late
Archaic, roughly 4800–3800 years B.P.
Although it does include the shell
midden, this was a less extensive
occupation. The most recent
occupation, represented by stratum I,
dates sometime after 3800 B.P. It was
truncated by modern cultivation.
Of the 78 individuals recovered, 32
were female, 13 were male, and 33 were
of indeterminate sex. Their ages ranged
from fetus to 60 years. No known
individuals were identified. The 955
associated funerary objects include nine
animal bones, one antler, two beaver
teeth, 48 bone awls (whole and
fragments), one bone object, one bone
tool, seven chert blades, one chert
chisel, 10 chert tools, one gorget, 104
perforated canine teeth, three projectile
points, one red ochre, 438 shell beads,
two stone beads, and 326 turtle shell
fragments.
Determinations Made by the Tennessee
Valley Authority
Officials of the Tennessee Valley
Authority have determined that:
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the
human remains described in this notice
are Native American based on their
presence in a prehistoric archeological
site and osteological analysis.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the
human remains described in this notice
represent the physical remains of 362
individuals of Native American
ancestry.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A),
the 1,456 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), a
relationship of shared group identity
cannot be reasonably traced between the
Native American human remains and
associated funerary objects and any
present-day Indian Tribe.
• The Treaty of October 19, 1818,
indicates that the land from which the
cultural items were removed is the
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8802
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 25 / Tuesday, February 9, 2021 / Notices
aboriginal land of The Chickasaw
Nation.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1)(ii),
the disposition of the human remains
may be to The Chickasaw Nation.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(4), the
Tennessee Valley Authority has agreed
to transfer control of the associated
funerary objects to The Chickasaw
Nation.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian Tribe
not identified in this notice that wish to
request transfer of control of these
human remains and associated funerary
objects should submit a written request
with information in support of the
request to Dr. Thomas O. Maher,
Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West
Summit Hill Drive, WT11C, Knoxville,
TN 37902–1401, telephone (865) 632–
7458, email tomaher@tva.gov, by March
11, 2021. After that date, if no
additional requestors have come
forward, transfer of control of the
human remains and associated funerary
objects to The Chickasaw Nation may
proceed.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is
responsible for notifying The Consulted
Tribes that this notice has been
published.
Dated: January 15, 2021.
Melanie O’Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021–02609 Filed 2–8–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
History and Description of the Cultural
Item
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
In 1898, the Buffalo Historical Society
(now known as The Buffalo History
Museum), purchased a peace medal
(commonly known as the Red Jacket
Peace Medal) that was once owned by
the Seneca chief and orator Red Jacket,
a member of the Wolf Clan. The peace
medal was presented to Red Jacket by
President Washington in Philadelphia,
in 1792, when representatives of the Six
Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy had
gathered, at President Washington’s
request, to discuss future relationships
between the United States and the Six
Nations. Upon Red Jacket’s death, the
medal passed to his nephew, James
Johnson. When Johnson died, the medal
passed to Ely S. Parker. Parker was the
last Seneca to have possession of the
medal. In 1898, the Society purchased
the medal from Ely S. Parker’s widow,
Minnie Parker.
Based on consultation with the
Seneca Nation of Indians, the Buffalo
Historical Society has determined that,
as the Red Jacket Peace Medal was
gifted as a symbol of peace, friendship,
and enduring relationship between the
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0031402;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural
Items: Buffalo History Museum,
Buffalo, NY
National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Buffalo History Museum
(previously known as the Buffalo
Historical Society), in consultation with
the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations, has determined
that the cultural item listed in this
notice meets the definition of cultural
patrimony. Lineal descendants or
representatives of any Indian Tribe or
Native Hawaiian organization not
identified in this notice that wish to
claim this cultural item should submit
a written request to the Buffalo History
Museum. If no additional claimants
come forward, transfer of control of the
cultural item to the lineal descendants,
SUMMARY:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
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 this cultural item should submit
a written request with information in
support of the claim to the Buffalo
History Museum at the address in this
notice by March 11, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Walter Mayer, Sr. Director
of Collections, Buffalo History Museum,
1 Museum Court, Buffalo, NY 14216,
telephone (716) 873–9644 Ext. 402,
email wmayer@buffalohistory.org.
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 a
cultural item under the control of the
Buffalo History Museum, Buffalo, NY,
that meets the definition of cultural
patrimony 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 museum, institution, or Federal
agency that has control of the Native
American cultural item. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
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United States and the Seneca Nation, it
is an object of cultural patrimony.
Determinations Made by the Buffalo
History Museum
Officials of the Buffalo History
Museum have determined that:
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D),
the one cultural item described above
has ongoing historical, traditional, or
cultural importance central to the
Native American group or culture itself,
rather than property owned by an
individual.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there
is a relationship of shared group
identity that can be reasonably traced
between the object of cultural patrimony
and the Seneca Nation of Indians
(previously listed as Seneca Nation of
New York).
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 this cultural item
should submit a written request with
information in support of the claim to
Walter Mayer, Sr. Director of Museum
Collections, Buffalo History Museum, 1
Museum Court, Buffalo, NY 14216,
telephone (716) 873–9644 Ext. 402,
email wmayer@buffalohistory.org, by
March 11, 2021. After that date, if no
additional claimants have come
forward, transfer of control of the object
of cultural patrimony to the Seneca
Nation of Indians (previously listed as
Seneca Nation of New York) may
proceed.
The Buffalo History Museum is
responsible for notifying the Seneca
Nation of Indians (previously listed as
Seneca Nation of New York) that this
notice has been published.
Dated: January 15, 2021.
Melanie O’Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021–02611 Filed 2–8–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[OMB No. 1121–NEW]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposed eCollection
eComments Requested; New
Collection: National Prisoner Statistics
Program: Coronavirus Pandemic
Supplement
Bureau of Justice Statistics,
Department of Justice.
ACTION: 30-Day notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of Justice
(DOJ), Office of Justice Programs,
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\09FEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8800-8802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02609]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031400; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Valley Authority,
Knoxville, TN
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has completed an
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects in
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, and has determined
that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and
associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian Tribes.
Representatives of any Indian Tribe not identified in this notice that
wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and
associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the TVA.
If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian Tribe
stated in this notice may proceed.
DATES: Representatives of any Indian Tribe not identified in this
notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains
and associated funerary objects should submit a written request with
information in support of the request to the TVA at the address in this
notice by March 11, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas O. Maher, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West
Summit Hill Drive, WT11C, Knoxville TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-
7458, email [email protected].
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 Tennessee Valley
Authority, Knoxville, TN, and stored at the McClung Museum at the
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (UTK). The human remains and
associated funerary objects were excavated from sites 40BN12, 40DR1,
40DR43, and 40HY13 in Benton, Decatur, and Henry Counties, TN.
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 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 and associated funerary
objects was made by TVA professional staff in consultation with
representatives of the Cherokee Nation; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana;
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee
(Creek) Nation; The Osage Nation (previously listed as Osage Tribe);
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and the
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma (hereafter
referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').
History and Description of the Remains
From September 12 to November 22, 1940, human remains representing,
at minimum, 186 individuals were removed from site 40BN12, the Eva site
in Benton County, TN. This site was excavated as part of TVA's Kentucky
Reservoir project by the University of Tennessee, using labor and funds
provided by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Details regarding
these excavations are in ``Eva An Archaic Site,'' authored by Thomas
Lewis and Madeline Kneberg Lewis.
The human remains represent 68 females, 50 males, and 68
individuals of undeterminable sex. No known individuals were
identified. The 257 associated funerary objects include one animal
bone, one animal incisor, three antler flakers, three antler tines, one
antler tool, three atlatl hooks, two bannerstones, one beaver molar,
five blades, 14 bone awls, 10 bone beads, two bone objects, one bone
pendant, one bone spatula, five coprolites, one daub, four dog burials,
one dog canine tooth, one dog femur, one drill, two fish hooks, one
gallstone, one bag of green mineral, two greenstone gorget fragments,
one hair pin, one hammerstone, two knife bases, 25 lignite fragments,
24 fragments of ochre, 21 pebbles/drum teeth, 27 projectile points, 77
snake vertebrae (necklace), one stone, one stone bead, one turkey bone,
seven pieces of turtle shell, one whetstone, and one worked bone.
As was common at this time, two perpendicular 3-foot wide trenches
were placed across the site. Block excavation proceeded based on the
stratigraphic information derived from the trenches. Below 5-8 inches
of plow-zone, the excavators identified five strata. The field
supervisor, David Osborne, described the first stratum as black humic
soil that lacked shell. Stratum II was comprised of a similar black
midden soil, but in addition, it contained mussel shell and was nearly
a meter thick near the center of the site. Stratum III, described as a
sandy loam of variable thickness, was not found throughout the site.
Stratum IV was not found in all parts of the site, but was nearly half
a meter thick in some areas. Shell was present near the base of this
stratum. Stratum V was found in the southern portion of the site. It
was sandy and lacked mussel shell. It also had the fewest artifacts.
NAGPRA cultural items were found in each stratum. The chipped stone
typology developed by Lewis and Lewis from 40BN12 has served as the
basis for defining early hunter-gatherer occupations in the mid-
continent. The
[[Page 8801]]
site also produced abundant bone and antler tools such as awls, needles
and fishhooks. In his 2014 dissertation, Thaddeus Bissett presented 18
radiocarbon dates from this site. The calibrated calendar dates range
from 8991 151 to 6338 61 B.P. Bissett's
dissertation also indicated that occupation at the site mostly dates to
the Middle Archaic.
From August 8 to October 17, 1941, human remains representing, at
minimum, 97 individuals were excavated from the Oak View Landing site,
40DR1, in Decatur County, TN. Using WPA labor and funds, archeologists
from the University of Tennessee sought to recover information from
this site prior to the construction of TVA's Kentucky Reservoir. The
results of these excavations were never published. A short field report
by Carrol Burroughs indicates that the site had been disturbed by an
early 20th century residence and warehouses associated with the river
landing. In his 2014 dissertation, Bissett estimated that a 4,000
square-foot area of the site was dug and 78 features were identified,
including 44 pits, 23 postmolds, three caches of river cobbles, two
large depressions, and six burned areas. The site plan does not reveal
any patterning of the postmolds that would suggest a structure or wall
segment. The plan does indicate a concentration of burials in the
southwest quadrant of the excavation units. Based on his analysis of
hafted bifaces and two radiocarbon dates, Bissett concluded that the
primary occupation of the site ranged from 5000 to 4000 B.P.
The fragmentary nature of the human remains made it difficult to
determine the age and sex of the individuals. Of those that could be
evaluated, 24 were female and 23 were male. They ranged in age from the
one month to 50 years. No known individuals were identified. The 244
associated funerary objects include one abrader, 45 animal bones, three
animal bone flakers, one animal tooth, one antler, nine antler flakers,
four beaver teeth, one blade tip, 10 bone awls, eight bone beads, two
bone scrapers, one burned clay object, one piece of chalk, one chipped
stone biface, 73 copper beads, one deer astragalus, one deer scapula,
one dog tooth, two drilled dog teeth, four drills, two stone flakes,
four gorgets, one hammerstone, one hematite, five stone knives, one
limestone, two needles, one paint rock, 46 projectile points, four
rodent teeth, one sandstone celt sharpener, two stone scrapers, one
ceramic sherd, one turtle shell, and two worked bones.
Between August 4-25, 1941, human remains representing, at minimum,
one individual were excavated from the West Britt's Landing site,
40DR43, in Decatur County, TN. Charles Nash led a WPA crew in
anticipation of the construction of the Kentucky Reservoir. Information
on 40DR43 has never been published. For some years prior to the
excavation, this area had been used as a landing and loading dock. This
disturbance, as well as active erosion by the river, led to the
destruction of most of the site. Four strata were defined during
excavation. While ceramics were found only in the top-most stratum,
stratum three contained most of the cultural deposits. Of the 21
numbered features identified, most were designated as hearths or
shallow pits. Two burial units were identified during the excavation,
but only one retained recoverable human remains. There are no
radiocarbon dates from this site. The human remains belong to an adult
male. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
From July through September 1940, human remains representing, at
minimum, 78 individuals were excavated from the Kays Landing site,
40HY13, in Henry County, TN. George Lidberg and a WPA crew excavated
40HY13 in anticipation of the construction of the Kentucky Reservoir.
The results of these excavations have never been published. Three
trenches were excavated to identify the stratigraphy at the site. Five
strata were identified. Stratum I, a black clay loam 4 inches to 3 feet
thick, covered the entire excavation area and was also the only stratum
with prehistoric ceramics. The upper portion was disturbed by
cultivation. Stratum II, composed of 30-50% mussel shell mixed with
humus and sand, was designated a shell mound by Lidberg. While the full
extent of this stratum was not determined, in his 2014 dissertation,
Bissett indicated that it was elliptical and extended roughly 23.5
meters north to south and 22.8 meters east to west. The shell content
decreased with depth and graded into Stratum III, a thick layer of sand
with shell fragments. Stratum III ranged from 2 to 3 feet in thickness.
Stratum IV extended over all the excavation units and was 1-2 feet
thick. Lidberg described it as bands of carbon-stained sand
interspersed with ``clean'' water lain sands.
Eighteen numbered pits were excavated. Most of them were
cylindrical and had flat bottoms. Many displayed evidence of burning
along the sides, but not on the bottoms. The eight numbered features
included four areas of burned clay or soil that may have represented
light structures. Also, two accumulations of charcoal and burned bone
and one cache of three nutting stones and three lithic raw material
stones were discovered. The post molds do not form a pattern
representing structures. Based on radiocarbon dates and diagnostic
bifaces, Bissett identified three occupations of this site. The
earliest one, represented by strata V and IV, dates to the late Middle
Archaic, ca. 5500-5100 calibrated years B.P. Based on the number of
burial units (46) and the quantity of artefacts recovered, this was a
substantial occupation. The second occupation, represented by strata
III and II, dates to the Late Archaic, roughly 4800-3800 years B.P.
Although it does include the shell midden, this was a less extensive
occupation. The most recent occupation, represented by stratum I, dates
sometime after 3800 B.P. It was truncated by modern cultivation.
Of the 78 individuals recovered, 32 were female, 13 were male, and
33 were of indeterminate sex. Their ages ranged from fetus to 60 years.
No known individuals were identified. The 955 associated funerary
objects include nine animal bones, one antler, two beaver teeth, 48
bone awls (whole and fragments), one bone object, one bone tool, seven
chert blades, one chert chisel, 10 chert tools, one gorget, 104
perforated canine teeth, three projectile points, one red ochre, 438
shell beads, two stone beads, and 326 turtle shell fragments.
Determinations Made by the Tennessee Valley Authority
Officials of the Tennessee Valley Authority have determined that:
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described
in this notice are Native American based on their presence in a
prehistoric archeological site and osteological analysis.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described
in this notice represent the physical remains of 362 individuals of
Native American ancestry.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 1,456 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), a relationship of shared
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day
Indian Tribe.
The Treaty of October 19, 1818, indicates that the land
from which the cultural items were removed is the
[[Page 8802]]
aboriginal land of The Chickasaw Nation.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1)(ii), the disposition of the
human remains may be to The Chickasaw Nation.
Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(4), the Tennessee Valley
Authority has agreed to transfer control of the associated funerary
objects to The Chickasaw Nation.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian Tribe not identified in this notice
that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and
associated funerary objects should submit a written request with
information in support of the request to Dr. Thomas O. Maher, Tennessee
Valley Authority, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT11C, Knoxville, TN
37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, email [email protected], by March
11, 2021. After that date, if no additional requestors have come
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated
funerary objects to The Chickasaw Nation may proceed.
The Tennessee Valley Authority is responsible for notifying The
Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.
Dated: January 15, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-02609 Filed 2-8-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
