83 FR 39776 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Anniston Museum of Natural History, Anniston, AL

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 155 (August 10, 2018)

The Anniston Museum of Natural History has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 to the Anniston Museum of Natural History. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39776-39777]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17214]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA- NPS0026041; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Anniston Museum of Natural 
History, Anniston, AL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Anniston Museum of Natural History has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any 
present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
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 to the Anniston Museum of Natural History. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 the Anniston Museum of Natural History at the address in 
this notice by September 10, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Daniel D. Spaulding, Anniston Museum of Natural History, 800 
Museum Drive, Anniston, AL 36206, telephone (256) 237-6766, 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

[[Page 39777]]

funerary objects under the control of the Anniston Museum of Natural 
History, Anniston, AL. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Moundville, 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) 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 the Anniston Museum of Natural History professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Cherokee Nation; 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; The 
Muscogee (Creek) Nation; and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians 
in Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1933-1937, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from Moundville in Tuscaloosa County, AL. 
These human remains and funerary objects were removed by Philip James 
Fitzgerald, an excavator with the Civilian Conservation Corps, during 
the excavation of the Moundville site. Upon Fitzgerald's death, the 
human remains and funerary objects were transferred to his daughter, 
Phyllis Fitzgerald Richardson. In May 1990, Mrs. Richardson donated the 
human remains and funerary objects to the Anniston Museum of Natural 
History. The human remains include one human skull with mandible, four 
neck vertebrae, and one human molar tooth. The human remains have been 
dated to the Moundville Period (ca. A.D. 1200-1500). No genders are 
known. No known individuals were identified. The 10 associated funerary 
objects are one incised pottery jar, one incised pottery bowl, four 
game stones of varying size and stone type, one unperforated, oblong 
stone pendant, one stone projectile point, one perforated bone awl, and 
one unperforated bone awl.

Determinations Made by the Anniston Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the Anniston Museum of Natural History have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on their being excavated from 
a known Native American burial site and dated to the time period during 
which the site is known to have been occupied by Native Americans.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 10 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.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and 
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 Daniel D. 
Spaulding, Anniston Museum of Natural History, 800 Museum Drive, 
Anniston, AL 36206, telephone (256) 237-6766, email 
[email protected], by September 10, 2018. After that date, 
if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to The Choctaw Nation 
of Oklahoma and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation may proceed.
    The Anniston Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Choctaw 
Nation of Oklahoma; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; and United Keetoowah 
Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: July 13, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-17214 Filed 8-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P