84 FR 11813 - Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Alabama Museums, Tuscaloosa, AL

The University of Alabama Museums has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 should submit a written request to the University of Alabama Museums. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11813-11814]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05995]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0027384; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Alabama Museums, 
Tuscaloosa, AL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Alabama Museums has completed an inventory 
of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 should submit a written request to the University 
of Alabama Museums. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer 
of control of the human remains 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 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
University of Alabama Museums at the address in this notice by April 
29, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Dr. William Bomar, Executive Director, University of Alabama 
Museums, 121 Smith Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, telephone (205) 348-
7550, 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 under 
the control of the University of Alabama Museums, Tuscaloosa, AL. The 
human remains were removed from site 1Ce308, Cherokee County, AL, and 
site 1Tu52, Tuscaloosa County, AL.
    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 human remains and funerary objects. 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 
University of Alabama Museums professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (previously 
listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); Cherokee Nation; 
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The 
Chickasaw Nation; The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; The Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1976, human remains representing, at minimum, four individuals 
were removed from Site 1Ce308, Polecat Ford, in Cherokee County, AL. 
After deep plowing exposed burials, the site was leased to a group of 
looters. Their excavations encountered a number of burials which 
included Protohistoric, Barnette phase, aboriginal artifacts along with 
items of sixteenth century European manufacture. Two archeologists 
subsequently worked to locate and document as much cultural material as 
possible, and made a surface collection at the site. In 1981, the human 
remains they recovered were donated to the University of Alabama. The 
human remains include fragments of human bone from the surface or with 
no provenience, and include the following individuals: Miscellaneous 1A 
(HRID 4673.1) from the surface, a 25-35 year old female; Miscellaneous 
1B (HRID 4673.2) from the surface, a 25-35 year old of indeterminate 
sex; Miscellaneous 1C (HRID 4673.3) from the surface, an individual of 
indeterminate sex at least 18 years old; and Miscellaneous 2 (HRID 
4674), unprovenienced, a male 20-30 years old. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The mortuary practices exhibited at this site are consistent with 
known aboriginal practices. The Protohistoric component at Site 1Ce308 
is marked by pottery of the sand tempered Lamar ceramic series. The 
Lamar ceramics, the artifacts of European manufacture, and other 
artifacts such as Citico style shell gorgets are consistent with a 
sixteenth century date. The Protohistoric Barnette phase is considered 
to be directly ancestral to the eighteenth century Coosa-Abhika Creek 
towns.
    In 1936, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from site 1Tu52, the Haney site, in Tuscaloosa County, AL. 
Site 1Tu52 was originally discovered in 1931, when the landowner plowed 
up a burial containing five glass beads. In 1933, he brought this find 
to the attention of the Alabama Museum of Natural History, now within 
the University of Alabama Museums. The Alabama Museum of Natural 
History conducted excavations at the site in 1936. These excavations 
encountered four burials, all within a relatively small, 2 meter by 5 
meter area. The human remains were very poorly preserved, and only 
human remains from Burial 1 are present in the collection. The human 
remains have been at the University of Alabama since 1936. Two 
individuals are represented within Burial 1. Burial 1A (HRID 4716.1) is 
a 12-16 year old of unknown sex. Burial 1B (HRID 4716.2) is a 3-5 year 
old. One associated funerary object, an occurrence of glass beads, is 
missing from the collection.
    Trade goods associated with each burial may be dated to the late 
eighteenth century. That date is corroborated by both the 1936 
excavations and a subsequent

[[Page 11814]]

reinvestigation by a University of Alabama student site for a 2011 M.A. 
thesis. The historic Native American ceramics from both investigations 
are primarily Creek related: Chattahoochee Brushed, Oakmulgee Fields 
Incised, and sherds of the shell tempered McKee Island series. It 
should be noted, however, that one sherd of Chickachae Combed, a 
Choctaw type, was also found.

Determinations Made by the University of Alabama Museums

    Officials of the University of Alabama Museums have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of six individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Dr. 
William Bomar, Executive Director, University of Alabama Museums, 121 
Smith Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, telephone (205) 348-7550, email 
[email protected], by April 29, 2019. After that date, if no additional 
requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 
to The Muscogee (Creek) Nation may proceed.
    The University of Alabama Museums is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 25, 2019.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2019-05995 Filed 3-27-19; 8:45 am]
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