81 FR 60381 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, TN

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 170 (September 1, 2016)

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate federally recognized Indian tribes, and has determined that a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day federally recognized Indian tribes can reasonably be traced. Lineal descendants or representatives of any federally recognized 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 TVA. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the federally recognized Indian tribes stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 170 (Thursday, September 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60381-60383]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21004]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-21734; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Tennessee Valley Authority, 
Knoxville, TN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in 
consultation with the appropriate federally recognized Indian tribes, 
and has determined that a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day federally 
recognized Indian tribes can reasonably be traced. Lineal descendants 
or representatives of any federally recognized 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 TVA. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the federally recognized

[[Page 60382]]

Indian tribes stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any federally 
recognized 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 TVA at the address in this notice by October 
3, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas O. Maher, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, WT11D, 
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 TVA. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects were removed from archeological sites 
in the Guntersville Reservoir in Jackson and Marshall Counties, 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 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 the 
University of Alabama and representatives of the Alabama-Coushatta 
Tribe of Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of 
Texas); Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Cherokee Nation; Coushatta Tribe 
of Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe 
of Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch 
Band of Creek Indians of Alabama); The Chickasaw Nation; The Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Thlopthlocco Tribal 
Town; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    The sites listed in this notice were excavated as part of TVA's 
Guntersville Reservoir project by the Alabama Museum of Natural History 
(AMNH) at the University of Alabama, using labor and funds provided by 
the Works Progress Administration. Details regarding these excavations 
and sites may be found in a report, An Archaeological Survey of 
Guntersville Basin on the Tennessee River in Northern Alabama, by 
William S. Webb and Charles G. Wilder. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects excavated from the sites listed in this notice have 
been in the physical custody of the AMNH at the University of Alabama 
since excavation but are under the control of TVA.
    From January to April 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, 
23 individuals were removed from the Crow Creek Island site, 1JA155, in 
Jackson County, AL. Excavation commenced after TVA acquired this land 
on June 30, 1938. Excavations revealed multiple occupations. The 
culturally affiliated NAGPRA cultural items are from the Crow Creek 
phase (circa A.D. 1400-1600) at the end of the Mississippian period. 
The human remains include adults, juveniles, and infants of both sexes. 
No known individuals were identified. The 657 associated funerary 
objects include 1 shell gorget; 2 shell ear plugs; 6 Mississippi Plain 
jars; 41 shell fragments; 1 shell pendant; 1 Barton Incised, var. 
Barton jar; 28 Mississippi Plain body sherds; 4 McKee Island Brushed 
jars; 2 Crow Creek Noded jars; 1 Mississippi Plain bird effigy bowls; 2 
Mississippi plain bowls; 12 bone pins; 1 Mississippi Plain collared 
jar; 1 Bell Plain bottle; 36 Mississippi Plain jar sherds; 1 Bell Plain 
bowl; 12 bone awls; 1 McKee Island Incised jar; 1 McKee Island Punctate 
jar; 11 McKee Island Brushed bowl sherds; 1 Hillabee schist celt 
fragment; 1 Moundville Engraved, var. Maxwells Crossing carinated 
bottle; 6 shell spoon fragments; 51 turtle shell rattle fragments; and 
433 shell barrel beads.
    From October 1938 to January 1939, human remains representing, at 
minimum, nine individuals were removed from the Sublet Ferry site, 
1JA102, three miles southeast of Hollywood in Jackson County, AL. 
Excavation commenced after TVA acquired a permit for archeological 
exploration on June 11, 1938. This land was subsequently purchase on 
October 17, 1938. Excavations revealed this to be a shell midden 
overlying a dark midden soil. Both Woodland and Mississippian 
occupations were identified. The culturally affiliated NAGPRA cultural 
items are from the Henry Island phase (circa A.D. 1200-1500) of the 
Mississippian period. The human remains include adults, juveniles, and 
children of both sexes. No known individuals were identified. The 2,148 
associated funerary objects include 3 Baytown Plain sherds; 1 Bell 
Plain bottle; 5 bone awls; 15 bone pins; 4 bone splinters; 1 chipped 
stone adz/celt; 1 Cox style shell gorget; 1 discoidal; 1 Duck River 
projectile point or knife; 1 greenstone celt; 1 Hixon style shell 
gorget; 3 key-sided copper mace fragments; 37 lithic flakes; 1 
Mississippi Plain bowl; 196 Mississippi Plain sherds; 2 Mississippi 
Plain jars; 1 Moundville Incised, var. Carrollton jar; 91 Moundville 
Incised, var. Carrollton jar sherds; 1,782 shell disc beads; and 1 
shell gorget fragment.
    From November 21 to 29, 1938, human remains representing, at 
minimum, one individual were removed from site 1MS106, 11 miles 
northeast of the city of Guntersville in Marshall County, AL. 
Excavation commenced after TVA purchased the land on April 21, 1937. 
Little is known about this site, except for a one paragraph reference 
to the excavation in a progress report indicating it was a rapid 
exploration that recovered three burials. Further, ceramics from this 
site indicate occupations during both the Woodland and Mississippian 
periods. The human remains represent a 12-year old individual of 
indeterminate sex. No known individual was identified. The 280 
associate funerary objects include 1 McKee Island Brushed jar, 1 Bell 
Plain jar, 246 shell barrel beads, and 32 beads made from gastropod 
shells.
    From June 1938 to May 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, 
11 individuals were removed from the Columbus City Landing site, 1MS91, 
9 miles northeast of the city of Guntersville in Marshall County, AL. 
Excavation commenced after TVA purchased the land on March 8, 1937. 
There were excavations in both the village (Unit I) and adjacent mounds 
(Unit II). Artifacts recovered from this excavation revealed that the 
primary occupations were during the Middle Woodland (A.D. 100-500), 
Mississippian (A.D. 1200-1500), and historic periods. The human remains 
include adults, juveniles, and children of both sexes. No known 
individuals were identified. The 5,435 associated funerary objects 
include 1 Bell Plain jar; 1 brass bangle; 1,182 brass beads; 12 brass 
bells; 5 brass bracelets; 3 brass cones; 1 brass disc; 27 brass 
fragments; 5 brass pendants; 2 brass rings; 11 copper/brass animal 
effigy ornaments; 4 copper bangles; 1 copper bead; 1 copper/brass disc; 
1 copper-covered wooden earspool; 4,021 glass beads; 1 iron axe; 1 iron 
bracelet; 1 lead rifle ball; 1 McKee Island Cord-Marked sherd; 52 
Mississippi Plain sherds; 94 shell beads;

[[Page 60383]]

3 shell earbobs; 1 shell gorget; 2 shell hairpins; and 1 shell pin.
    Although there is no absolute certainty that Native Americans of 
the Mississippian period are directly related to modern federally 
recognized tribes, a relationship of shared group identity can 
reasonably be traced between these modern tribes and the human remains 
(and associated funerary objects) of the earlier culture identified as 
Mississippian. The preponderance of the evidence indicates that the 
cultural items from Mississippian and early historic occupations at 
1MS91, 1MS106, 1JA102, and 1JA155 are culturally affiliated with Native 
Americans descendants of the Koasati/Kaskinampo. These descendants 
include the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the Alabama-Quassarte 
Tribal Town, the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, and the Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation. The evidence is as follows:
     Chronicles from Spanish explorers of the 16th century and 
French explorers of the 17th and 18th century indicates the presence of 
chiefdom level tribal entities in the southeastern United States which 
resemble the Mississippian chiefdoms.
     Linguistic analysis of place names noted by multiple 
Spanish explorers indicates that Koasati speaking groups inhabited 
northeastern Alabama.
     Early maps and research into the historic Native American 
occupation of northeastern Alabama indicates that the Koasati (as 
called by the English) or the Kaskinampo (as called by the French) were 
found at multiple sites in Jackson and Marshall Counties in the 17th 
and 18th centuries.
     Oral history, traditions and expert opinions of the 
descendants of Koasati/Kaskinampo indicate that this portion of the 
Tennessee River valley was a homeland of their tribe. The subsequent 
involuntary diaspora of these peoples resulted in descendants of the 
Koasati/Kaskinampo among multiple federally recognized tribes.

Determinations Made by the Tennessee Valley Authority

    Officials of TVA have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 44 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 8,520 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), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects of the 
Mississippian and early historic occupations of these sites and the 
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, the 
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any federally recognized 
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, TVA, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, 
WT11D, Knoxville, TN 37902-1401, telephone (865) 632-7458, email 
[email protected], by October 3, 2016. After that date, if no additional 
requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of 
Texas, the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, the Coushatta Tribe of 
Louisiana, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation may proceed.
    TVA is responsible for notifying the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of 
Texas (previously listed as the Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas); 
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Cherokee Nation; Coushatta Tribe of 
Louisiana; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creeks (previously listed as the Poarch Band 
of Creek Indians of Alabama); The Chickasaw Nation; The Choctaw Nation 
of Oklahoma; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town; and 
the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: August 10, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-21004 Filed 8-31-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P