[Federal Register: June 18, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 117)]
[Notices]
[Page 32846-32847]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18jn01-129]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the U.S.
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace
Parkway, Tupelo, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9,
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated
funerary objects in the possession of the U.S. Department of the
Interior, National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway, Tupelo, MS.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the
National Park unit that has control or possession of these Native
American human remains. The Assistant Director, Cultural Resources
Stewardship and Partnerships is not responsible for the determinations
within this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by National
Park Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of
the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama-Coushatta
Tribes of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee
Nation, Oklahoma; Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of
Louisiana; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
of North Carolina; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of
Choctaw Indians, Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee
Tribe of Indians of Florida; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians,
Mississippi; Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek
Indians of Alabama; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of
Florida, Dania, Big Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations;
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe of
Louisiana; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of
Oklahoma. The Shawnee Tribe, also known also as the ``Loyal Shawnee''
or ``Cherokee Shawnee,'' a nonfederally recognized Native American
group at the time that they were consulted, have since been recognized
as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the
United States to Indians because of their status as Indians under
provisions of P.L. 106-568.
    The 75 human remains and 41 associated funerary objects described
below were recovered from three different sites.
    In 1963 and 1964, human remains representing 10 individuals were
recovered from the Boyd site during an authorized National Park Service
project to mitigate construction impacts from the Natchez Trace
Parkway. No known individuals were identified. The 24 associated
funerary objects are pieces of a single Baytown Plain ceramic jar.
    The Boyd site is located in Madison County, MS, and consists of a
village area and six mounds. On the basis of artifacts recovered during
the excavations, the village area was occupied during the Woodland
period (A.D. 300-700), while the mounds were built during the
Mississippian period (A.D. 1000-1650). The human remains and associated
funerary objects were associated with the Mississippian period use of
the site. One burial was recovered with fragments of a Baytown Plain
ceramic jar, a ceramic type often associated with the Late Woodland and
Early Mississippian period (A.D. 700-1200). In 1949, human remains
representing 36 individuals were recovered from the Gordon Mounds site
during a legally authorized National Park Service excavation prior to
the construction of the Natchez Trace Parkway. No known individuals
were identified. The 17 associated funerary objects are 12 ceramic
fragments representing 5 different vessels, 3 projectile points, and 1
stone celt.
    The Gordon Mounds site is located in Jefferson County, MS, and
consists of two mounds and a village area. On the basis of artifacts
recovered during the excavations the site was occupied during the Late
Woodland and Mississippian periods (A.D. 600-1750). Ceramic types
include Mazique Incised and Addis Plain, ceramic types often associated
with the late prehistoric occupants of the Natchez, MS, area and with
the Natchez Indians.
    In 1948 and 1972, human remains representing 29 individuals were
recovered from the Emerald Mound site during legally authorized
excavation projects. No known individuals were identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
    The Emerald Mound site is located in the vicinity of Natchez, MS,
and consists of two mounds and a plaza area. On the basis of artifacts
recovered during excavation, the site was occupied during the late
precontact phase of the Mississippian period (A.D. 1200-1650, or
later). Ceramic types that have been historically associated with the
Natchez Indians were found throughout the site. The cremated remains of
infants were found in the mound. Infant sacrifice is a cultural trait
that has been affiliated with the Natchez.
    In 1542, Hernando de Soto's expedition heard of, and later
encountered hostile Indians along the lower Mississippi River believed
to have been the Natchez and their allies. In 1682, the de La Salle
expedition specifically identified the Natchez as living along the
banks of the lower Mississippi River. Following an unsuccessful
rebellion against the French in 1729, the Natchez were dispersed. About
400 individuals surrendered to the French and were sent to the West
Indies as slaves. The remaining Natchez withdrew among the Chickasaw
and ultimately separated into two main bands, one settling among the
Upper Creeks and the other uniting with the Cherokee.
    After their removal to Indian Territory, Natchez descendants
settled along both sides of the border between the Creek and Cherokee
Nations. Consultation with tribal representatives indicates that those
Natchez in the Cherokee Nation were regarded as ``Nahchee Creeks.'' The
Natchez language was still spoken by some in the Creek Nation until the
early 20th century and by some among the Cherokee until the 1940s.
Despite the later survival of the Natchez language among the Cherokee,
the Natchez survived longest as a recognizable sociocultural entity
among the Creeks, where the Natchez remnant ultimately was taken in by
the still-extant Ahbika ceremonial ground in the present-day Muskogee
(Creek) Nation. Given territorial proximity and complexities of modern
Cherokee tribal alignments in Oklahoma, both the Cherokee Nation and
the United Keetowah Band of Cherokee Indians are likely to include
tribal members of Natchez descent.
    Based on the above mentioned information, the superintendent of
Natchez Trace Parkway has determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent

[[Page 32847]]

the physical remains of 75 individuals of Native American ancestry. The
superintendent of Natchez Trace Parkway has also determined that,
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 41 objects listed above are
reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual human
remains at the time of death or later as part of a death rite or
ceremony. Lastly, the superintendent of Natchez Trace Parkway has
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship
of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects recovered
from the Boyd site, Gordon Mounds site, and Emerald Mound site, and the
Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; and
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Absentee-Shawnee
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama and Coushatta Tribes of Texas;
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma;
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma; Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana; Choctaw
Nation of Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina;
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians,
Louisiana; Kialegee Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians
of Florida; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Mississippi; Muskogee
(Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama;
Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida, Dania, Big
Cypress, Brighton, Hollywood & Tampa Reservations; Shawnee Tribe,
Oklahoma; Thlopthlocco Tribal Town, Oklahoma; Tunica-Biloxi Indian
Tribe of Louisiana; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
of Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and
associated funerary objects should contact Wendell Simpson,
Superintendent, Natchez Trace Parkway, 2680 Natchez Trace Parkway,
Tupelo, MS 38803, telephone (662) 680-4005, before July 18, 2001.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to
the Muskogee (Creek) Nation, Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; and
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma may begin after
that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: May 10, 2001.
Frank P. McManamon,
Acting Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and
Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-15306 Filed 6-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F]