[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 23504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9465]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Illinois State Museum, 
Springfield, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Illinois State Museum has completed an inventory of human 
remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has 
determined that there is a likely cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any 
Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the 
human remains may contact the Illinois State Museum. Repatriation of 
the human remains to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no 
additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the Illinois 
State Museum at the address below by May 21, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Robert E. Warren, Curator of Anthropology, Illinois 
State Museum, 1011 East Ash Street, Springfield, IL 62703-3500, 
telephone (217) 524-7903.

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 Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL.
    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 within 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 within this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Illinois 
State Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of 
North Carolina; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    Prior to 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed by an unidentified person or persons from a 
location recorded as ``Big Eddy,'' ``By-1'' and ``Tennessee.'' The 
human remains, consisting of one right tibia with healed periostitis 
(possible healed fracture), were later transferred to the Dickson 
Mounds Museum, Lewistown, IL, and placed in the Dickson Pathology 
Collection. In 1967, the Dickson Mounds Museum transferred possession 
and control of the human remains to the Illinois State Museum (ISM 809 
541). No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Museum and historical records indicate the cultural affiliation of 
the human remains may be Cherokee. The Tennessee Department of 
Environment & Conservation has no listing for a ``Big Eddy'' site in 
its statewide archaeological site file. However, it is likely that 
``By-1'' refers to site 40BY1, a village site recorded in 1936 near the 
confluence of South Chestuee Creek and the Hiwassee River in Bradley 
County, TN. Site 40BY1 is currently mapped within the boundaries of two 
large historic Cherokee town sites: Chestoe (40BY42) on the left 
(south) bank of the Hiwassee River and Chestuee (40PK2) on the right 
(north) bank. The names of the towns were derived from the Cherokee 
term Tsistuyi, meaning ``Rabbit Place.'' Chestoe and Chestuee were 
affiliated with the Overhill division of Cherokee towns located along 
the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee rivers. They may have been occupied 
as early as 1715, when mapmaker John Herbert joined Colonel George 
Chicken on a diplomatic mission to the Cherokee and documented the 
towns. The towns were destroyed along with nine other Overhill Cherokee 
towns during a 1780 military campaign led by Colonels Arthur Campbell 
of Virginia and John Sevier of Tennessee, but the Cherokee apparently 
reoccupied the towns by 1799. An archaeological survey has confirmed 
the former existence of a village at the site. A small collection of 
pottery sherds collected at the site in 1936 contains one shell-
tempered sherd with a rim strip that could represent Overhill Cherokee 
or Mississippian occupations.
    A review of the skeletal morphology indicates that the individual 
is likely to be Native American. The Cherokee Indians are represented 
by three present-day Indian tribes, the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; and United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by the Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL

    Officials of the Illinois State Museum have determined that:
    <bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
    <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 Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; Eastern Band 
of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; and the United Keetoowah Band of 
Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Robert E. Warren, Curator of Anthropology, Illinois State Museum, 1011 
East Ash Street, Springfield, IL 62703-3500, telephone (217) 524-7903, 
before May 21, 2012. Repatriation of the human remains to the Cherokee 
Nation, Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; 
and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Illinois State Museum is responsible for notifying the Cherokee 
Nation, Oklahoma; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina; 
and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: April 12, 2012.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-9465 Filed 4-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P