Notice2022-26802
Notice of Inventory Completion: North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, Raleigh, NC
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 9, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology 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 North Carolina Office of State Archaeology. 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 236 (Friday, December 9, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75653-75654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26802]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034980; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: North Carolina Office of State
Archaeology, Raleigh, NC
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology 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 North
Carolina Office of State Archaeology. 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 North
Carolina Office of State Archaeology at the address in this notice by
January 9, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily McDowell, Office of State
Archaeology, 215 West Lane Street, Raleigh, NC 27616, telephone (919)
715-5599, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#73161e1a1f0a5d1e10171c04161f1f331d101710015d141c05"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9efbf3f7f2e7b0f3fdfaf1e9fbf2f2def0fdfafdecb0f9f1e8">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, Raleigh,
NC. The human remains were removed from the Iotla site (31MA77) in
Macon County, NC.
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. 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 North
Carolina Office of State Archaeology professional staff in consultation
with representatives of the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma
(hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').
History and Description of the Remains
In 2009, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals
were removed from 31MA77, the Iotla site, in Macon County, NC. These
human remains were removed during excavations conducted by TRC
Environmental Corporation on behalf of the Macon County Airport
Authority pursuant to 54 U.S.C. 306108 (also known as Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act), prior to a runway expansion
project.
In February of 2009, TRC Environmental Corporation conducted
archeological data recovery excavations for the airport runway
expansion and improvements project. During those excavations, 97
probable human burials were identified and avoided. Five human
cremations (Features 6010, 8286, 8971, 10860 [probable], and 11213)
believed by TRC to be non-burial, burnt faunal features were removed
during these excavations. In 2012, during analysis of the faunal
assemblage, the analyst identified these burned features as human
cremations, at which point TRC contacted the State Archaeologist and
the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Historic Preservation
Officer for guidance. The State Archaeologist, in turn, notified the
Executive Director of the Commission of Indian Affairs of the
discovery. Not until January of 2020 were the human remains received by
the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology pursuant to North
Carolina General Statute 70 Article 3, the Unmarked Human Burial and
Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act. Upon receiving the human
remains, staff from the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology
Research Center, began collecting information on the human remains and
consulting on them. No known individuals were identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Data recovery at 31MA77, the Iotla site, provided archeological
evidence of a long occupation extending from the Early Archaic period
to the Late Qualla phase Historic Cherokee. Based on archeological
information, these cremations are associated with the Middle Woodland,
Connestee phase village. It is well known that the Cherokee occupied
this area long before European contact, and the Late Qualla phase
Historic Cherokee component of the site supports this affiliation.
Determinations Made by the Office of State Archaeology
Officials of the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology has
determined that:
<bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described
in this notice represent the physical remains of five individuals of
Native American ancestry.
[[Page 75654]]
<bullet> 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 Tribes.
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 Emily
McDowell, North Carolina Office of State Archaeology, 215 West Lane
Street, Raleigh, NC 27616, telephone (919) 715-5599, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#abcec6c2c7d285c6c8cfc4dccec7c7ebc5c8cfc8d985ccc4dd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="60050d090c194e0d03040f17050c0c200e030403124e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>, by January 9, 2023. After that date, if no
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the
human remains to The Tribes may proceed.
The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology is responsible for
notifying The Tribes that this notice has been published.
Dated: November 30, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-26802 Filed 12-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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