FR Doc 05-12029
[Federal Register: June 20, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 117)]
[Notices]
[Page 35451-35452]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jn05-59]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: Mississippi Department of
Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division, Jackson, MS
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 in the possession of the Mississippi Department of Archives and
History, Historic Preservation Division, Jackson, MS. The human remains
and associated funerary objects were removed from Lee County, MS.
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.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation
Division professional staff in consultation with representatives of the
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
In the summer of 1937, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from the Alston-Wilson site (MLe14), by Moreau
Chambers, an archeologist with the Mississippi Department of Archives
and History, as part of an ongoing survey and legally authorized
excavation of Chickasaw sites in Lee County, MS. The excavation and
survey were undertaken to study Chickasaw culture and find the location
of the Battle of Ackia as part of the process for establishing Ackia
Battleground National Monument. No known individual was identified. The
two associated funerary objects are one bent cuprous metal band (sheet
brass ring) found around the bone fragment and one pottery sherd.
The Alston-Wilson site, now better known as MLe14 because of later
excavations by Jesse Jennings in 1939 on behalf of the National Park
Service, has a major occupation dating to A.D. 1730-1750. Archeological
evidence found at the Alston-Wilson site suggests that this site was
part of a major historic Chickasaw village. In the 1730s, there were
two major villages in the vicinity of the Alston-Wilson site that were
occupied by the Chickasaw: Tchichatala and Falatchao. Tchichatala was a
major Chickasaw village. Falatchao was a ``white mother'' town meaning
it was both a ``white'' town (or a peace town, as opposed to a ``red''
war town) and a ``mother'' town from which other towns emerged (Hudson
1976: 238-239).
Both Tchichatala and Falatchao are recognized in historical
documents as being occupied by the Chickasaw. However, because of the
fluid nature of Chickasaw village occupation, it is difficult to
identify the specific boundaries of historic Chickasaw villages.
Therefore, based on the archeological evidence that the site was part
of a major Chickasaw village and at that time both villages were in the
area, the Alston-Wilson site is most probably part of either the site
of the village of Tchichatala or Falatchao. (Atkinson 1985, 2004; Brad
Lieb, personal communication 2004; Cook et al. 1980; Jennings 1941;
Johnson et al. 2004). Furthermore, based on historical evidence that
Lee County, MS, where the Alston-Wilson site is located, was occupied
by the Chickasaw until their removal to Oklahoma from 1837 until 1850,
the site is probably Chickasaw. The Chickasaws are represented by the
present-day Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
Officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History,
Historic Preservation Division have determined that, pursuant to 25
U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
Officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History,
Historic Preservation Division also have determined that, pursuant to
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the two objects described above 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.
Lastly, officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and
History, Historic Preservation Division have determined that, 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 Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary
objects should contact Pamela D. Edwards, Curator of Archaeological
Collections, Mississippi
[[Page 35452]]
Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division,
P.O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205, telephone (601) 576-6940, before July
20, 2005. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects to the Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma may proceed after that date
if no additional claimants come forward.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic
Preservation Division is responsible for notifying the Chickasaw
Nation, Oklahoma that this notice has been published.
Dated: May 31, 2005.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 05-12029 Filed 6-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S
Back to the top