[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83042-83044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23724]



[[Page 83042]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038883; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Fernbank Museum of Natural 
History, Atlanta, 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), Fernbank Museum of Natural History has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after November 14, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Wil Grewe-Mullins, Fernbank Museum of Natural History, 767 
Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307, telephone (404) 929-6312, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2b7c4247056c594e5c4e06665e47474245586b4d4e5945494a4540465e584e5e460544594c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9dcaf4f1b3daeff8eaf8b0d0e8f1f1f4f3eeddfbf8eff3fffcf3f6f0e8eef8e8f0b3f2effa">[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 
Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual have been 
identified from 9LI43, Cunningham Mound A, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The four associated funerary objects include 
one lot ceramic sherds, one lot lithic debitage, one lithic flake tool, 
and one lot soil samples. These materials were recovered during 
archaeological excavations conducted in 1975 and 1977 by the American 
Museum of Natural History (AMNH) under the direction of Dr. David Hurst 
Thomas. The remains were subsequently subjected to bioarcheological 
study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, working in 
collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for intervals at the AMNH 
and on St. Catherines Island, the remains and funerary objects were 
transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. 
Catherines Island and Edward John Noble Foundations.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals have been 
identified from 9LI45, Cunningham Mound C, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The 19 associated funerary objects include one 
lot ceramic sherds, one animal bone, two glass fragments, one 
groundstone object, eight pieces of lithic debitage, one biface, one 
projectile point, one nail or spike, one lot of unworked shell, one 
unmodified stone, and one soil sample. These materials were recovered 
during archaeological excavations conducted in 1975 and 1977 by the 
AMNH under the direction of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. The remains were 
subsequently subjected to bioarcheological study under the direction of 
Dr. Clark S. Larsen, working in collaboration with the AMNH. After 
storage for intervals at the AMNH and on St. Catherines Island, the 
remains were transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History 
by the St. Catherines Island and Edward John Noble Foundations. The 
remains are all adults and at least two represent females. At least 
some burials occurred as extended or cremated interments. Funerary 
objects recovered from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 
2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals have been 
identified from 9LI46, Cunningham Mound D, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The 66 associated funerary objects include two 
unmodified stone objects, two hammerstones, one metal bead, one glass 
bead, two pieces of copper, one metal shot or bullet, one lot ceramic 
sherds, 37 nails or spikes, 11 projectile points, six scrapers, one lot 
coffin wood, and one lithic flake. These materials were recovered 
during archaeological excavations conducted from 1976-1977 by the AMNH 
under the direction of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. The remains were 
subsequently subjected to bioarcheological study under the direction of 
Dr. Clark S. Larsen, working in collaboration with the AMNH. After 
storage for intervals at the AMNH and on St. Catherines Island, the 
remains were transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History 
by the St. Catherines Island and Edward John Noble Foundations. The 
remains are all adults and at least one is female and another male. At 
least some burials occurred as flexed or bundled interments. Funerary 
objects recovered from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 
2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual have been 
identified from 9LI28, Cunningham Mound E, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The two associated funerary objects include 
one lot of ceramic sherds and one piece of lithic debitage. These 
materials were recovered during archaeological excavations conducted 
around 1970 by the University of Georgia under the direction of Dr. 
Joseph R. Caldwell, and from 1976-1977 by the AMNH under the direction 
of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. The remains were subsequently subjected to 
bioarcheological study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, 
working in collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for intervals at 
University of Georgia, the AMNH, and on St. Catherines Island, the 
remains were transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History 
by the St. Catherines Island and Edward John Noble Foundations. The 
remains represent an adult female interred in a bundle. Funerary 
objects recovered from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 
2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 70 individuals have been 
identified from 9LI18, John's Mound, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The 214 associated funerary objects include 
one lot ceramic sherds, one lot non-human bone, one polished human 
phalanx, two bone awls, three ceramic vessels, three quartz cobbles, 
one pearl, one sand dollar, one unmodified stone, one groundstone 
object, 193 shell beads, one lot marine shell, and five soil samples. 
These materials were recovered during archaeological excavations 
conducted in 1969-1970 by the University of Georgia under the direction 
of Dr. Joseph R. Caldwell. The remains were subsequently subjected to 
bioarcheological study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, 
working in collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for intervals at 
University of Georgia and on St. Catherines Island, the remains were 
transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. 
Catherines Island and Edward John Noble Foundations. The remains 
represent at least 44 adults and 13 sub-adults, 13 of which have been 
identified as female and 16 male. Burials occurred as bundled and 
extended interments. Funerary objects recovered from the site were also 
transferred to Fernbank in 2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals were

[[Page 83043]]

recovered from 9LI20, Mary's Mound, on St. Catherines Island in Liberty 
County, Georgia. The 25 associated funerary objects include six whole 
and partial ceramic vessels, two awls, one lot ceramic sherds, one 
lithic flake, one pipe fragment, 10 modified whelk shells, three 
unmodified marine shells, and one lot non-human bone. These materials 
were recovered during archaeological excavations conducted in 1970 by 
the University of Georgia under the direction of Dr. Joseph Caldwell, 
and in 1977 by the AMNH under the direction of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. 
The remains were subsequently subjected to bioarcheological study under 
the direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, working in collaboration with the 
AMNH. After storage for intervals at University of Georgia, the AMNH, 
and on St. Catherines Island, the remains were transferred in 2004 to 
Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. Catherines Island and 
Edward John Noble Foundations. The remains represent at least two 
adults and three sub-adults, at least two of which are female. Burials 
occurred as either flexed or bundled interments. Funerary objects 
recovered from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 20 individuals were 
recovered from 9LI47, McLeod Mound, on St. Catherines Island in Liberty 
County, Georgia. The 14 associated funerary objects include two 
projectile points, one lithic scraper, one lot ceramic sherds, one 
shark tooth, five pieces non-human bone, one lithic debitage, one metal 
shot or bullet, one mineral fragment, and one unidentified stone. The 
materials were recovered during archaeological excavations conducted 
from 1975-1976 by the AMNH under the direction of Dr. David Hurst 
Thomas. The remains were subsequently subjected to bioarcheological 
study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, working in 
collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for intervals at the AMNH 
and on St. Catherines Island, the remains were transferred in 2004 to 
Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. Catherines Island and 
Edward John Noble Foundations. The remains are all adults, at least ten 
of which are female and three are male. Burials occurred as extended 
and bundled interments. Funerary objects recovered from the site were 
also transferred to Fernbank in 2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 19 individuals were 
recovered from 9LI26, Seaside Mound I, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The eight associated funerary objects include 
one lot ceramic sherds, one lithic scraper, two projectile points, one 
modified shell, one modified bone item, one lot non-human bone, and one 
lot lithic debitage. The materials were recovered during archaeological 
excavations conducted in 1970 by the University of Georgia under the 
direction of Dr. Joseph Caldwell, and in 1977 by the AMNH under the 
direction of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. The remains were subsequently 
subjected to bioarcheological study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. 
Larsen, working in collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for 
intervals at University of Georgia, the AMNH, and on St. Catherines 
Island, the remains were transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of 
Natural History by the St. Catherines Island and Edward John Noble 
Foundations. The remains represent at least 15 adults and four sub-
adults, at least two of which are female and five male. Burials 
occurred as bundled and extended interments. Funerary objects recovered 
from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 14 individuals were 
recovered from 9LI62, Seaside Mound II, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The five associated funerary objects include 
one lot ceramic sherds, one lot lithic debitage, and three projectile 
points. The materials were recovered during archaeological excavations 
conducted from 1976-1977 by the AMNH under the direction of Dr. David 
Hurst Thomas. The remains were subsequently subjected to 
bioarcheological study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, 
working in collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for intervals at 
the AMNH and on St. Catherines Island, the remains were transferred in 
2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. Catherines Island 
and Edward John Noble Foundations. The remains represent at least 13 
adults and one sub-adult, at least four of which are female and three 
are male. Burials occurred as bundled and extended interments. Funerary 
objects recovered from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 
2004.
    Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were 
recovered from 9LI12, South New Ground Mound, on St. Catherines Island 
in Liberty County, Georgia. The one lot of associated funerary objects 
include one lot of ceramic sherds. The materials were recovered during 
archaeological excavations conducted in 1976-1977 by the AMNH under the 
direction of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. The remains were subsequently 
subjected to bioarcheological study under the direction of Dr. Clark S. 
Larsen, working in collaboration with the AMNH. After storage for 
intervals at the AMNH and on St. Catherines Island, the remains were 
transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. 
Catherines Island and Edward John Noble Foundations. The remains are 
those of an adult female. Funerary objects recovered from the site were 
also transferred to Fernbank in 2004.
    Associated funerary objects were recovered from 9LI3, South End 
Mound I, on St. Catherines Island in Liberty County, Georgia. The 224 
objects include one lot ceramic sherds, two ceramic pipe stems, one lot 
lithic debitage, one projectile point, one button, one unidentified 
metal fragment, 211 shell beads, one lot modified and unmodified whelk 
shells, three mineral fragments, one unmodified stone, and one lot soil 
samples. The materials were recovered during archaeological excavations 
conducted in 1986 by the AMNH under the direction of Dr. David Hurst 
Thomas, and from 1991-1993 under the direction of Dr. Clark Spencer 
Larsen. After storage for intervals at The Ohio State University, the 
AMNH, and on St. Catherines Island, the remains were transferred in 
2004 to Fernbank Museum of Natural History by the St. Catherines Island 
and Edward John Noble Foundations. The human remains associated with 
these objects have been listed in a Notice of Inventory Completion 
published in the Federal Register on August 20, 2009 (74 FR 42098-
42100).
    Human remains representing, at minimum, 18 individuals were 
recovered from 9LI273, South End Mound II, on St. Catherines Island in 
Liberty County, Georgia. The 58 associated funerary objects include one 
lot ceramic sherds, three glass beads, four hammerstones, one piece 
unmodified stone, one lot lithic debitage, four lithic bifaces, three 
modified lithics, 35 lead fragments, three granite items, one lot 
copper sheet fragments, and two modified shells. The materials were 
recovered during archaeological excavations conducted from 1979-1980 by 
the AMNH under the direction of Dr. David Hurst Thomas. The remains 
were subsequently subjected to bioarcheological study under the 
direction of Dr. Clark S. Larsen, working in collaboration with the 
AMNH. After storage for intervals at the AMNH and on St. Catherines 
Island, the remains were transferred in 2004 to Fernbank Museum of 
Natural History by the St. Catherines Island and Edward John

[[Page 83044]]

Noble Foundations. The remains represent at least 13 adults and two sub 
adults, at least three of which are female and one male. At least some 
of the burials represented cremated remains. Funerary objects recovered 
from the site were also transferred to Fernbank in 2004.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    The Fernbank Museum of Natural History has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of at least 157 individuals of Native American 
ancestry.
    <bullet> The 640 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Alabama-
Quassarte Tribal Town; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Poarch Band of 
Creek Indians; Seminole Tribe of Florida; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; 
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. 
Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after November 
14, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the 
Fernbank Museum of Natural History must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single 
request and not competing requests. The Fernbank Museum of Natural 
History 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 10.10.

    Dated: October 4, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-23724 Filed 10-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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