Notice2023-28188
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology, Athens, GA
Primary source
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Published
December 22, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The cultural items were removed from Dade County, GA.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 245 (Friday, December 22, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 245 (Friday, December 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88647-88648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28188]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037135; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: University of
Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology, Athens, GA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Georgia, Laboratory of
Archaeology intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the
definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in
this notice. The cultural items were removed from Dade County, GA.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on
or after January 22, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Amanda Thompson, University of Georgia, Laboratory of
Archaeology, 1125 Whitehall Road, Athens, GA 30605, telephone (706)
542-8737, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#78190a171a0c101715380d1f19561d1c0d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bbdac9d4d9cfd3d4d6fbcedcda95dedfce">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Additional information on the determinations in this notice, including
the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or related
records held by the University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology.
Description
The 2,991 unassociated funerary objects cultural items were removed
from sites 9DD25 and 9DD57 in Dade County, GA.
The first site is 9DD25 in Dade County, GA, located near Trenton,
GA, a few hundred yards east of Lookout Creek and several miles south
of the junction of Lookout Creek and the Tennessee River was excavated
during a University of Georgia (UGA) field school in 1973, by Joseph R.
Caldwell and Richard W. Jefferies. All eight of the mounds at the
Tunacunnhee site were tested during the 1973 field season, with a total
area of 8,000 ft. uncovered during excavation. The collection was then
[[Page 88648]]
housed at the University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology. The
2,502 unassociated funerary objects include: Possibly associated with
Burial 7--lithics, ceramics, celt, lithic flakes, faunal, fossil bead,
and faunal; Possibly associated with Burial 8--lithics, lithic worked,
lithic PPK, ceramics, and faunal; Burial 9A, Mound A--copper band
fragment; Burial 10--alligator tooth, stones, and UID ``gallstones'';
Possibly associated with Burial 12--copper fragments; Mound C, Feature
30--copper flakes, bone beads, shark vertebrae beads, animal teeth,
drilled shark vertebrae, drilled shark teeth, faunal, pebbles from near
bone rattle, backed chert knife, copper pin w/wooden head, copper
flake, cast of fiber plate with impression, copper plate with fiber
impressions, copper plate fragments and microslide, copper earspools,
and woven material and fiber; Burial 15A, Mound C, Feature 31--PPKs,
fragmented material associated with pan pipe, copper pan pipe, shell
fragments, copper fragments, and soil from inside pipe; Burial 16 Mound
A--copper earspool (w/microslide); Unknown burials from Mound context--
lithics, lithic PPK, lithics worked, ceramic, faunal, UID metal, burned
clay and bone mix, soil, charcoal, plain vessel, material under pan
pipe, copper earspool fragments, Flint Ridge Ohio blade, shell, shell
bead necklace, mica, and lithic spade/hoe.
The site 9DD57 was identified during a survey conducted by Bruce
Smith in 1975. At the time the site was surveyed, a collection was made
from the surface of the cave as well as test pits and areas just
outside the cave. The collection was then housed at the University of
Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology. The 489 unassociated funerary
objects include: lithics, hammerstone, faunal bone, shell, burned nut
shell, peach pits, burned wood/charcoal, bone pin fragment, and eagle
raptor talon.
Cultural Affiliation
The cultural items in this notice are connected to one or more
identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a
relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier
groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or
Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were
used to reasonably trace the relationship: geographical information.
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations, University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology has
determined that:
<bullet> The 2,991 cultural items 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 and
are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed
from a specific burial site of a Native American individual.
<bullet> There is a relationship of shared group identity that can
be reasonably traced between the cultural items and The Muscogee
(Creek) Nation.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in
ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any lineal
descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not
identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the
evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or a culturally
affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor
may occur on or after January 22, 2024. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, University of Georgia, Laboratory of
Archaeology must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are
considered a single request and not competing requests. The University
of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology is responsible for sending a copy
of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.8, 10.10,
and 10.14.
Dated: December 13, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-28188 Filed 12-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P
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