[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86357-86358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25194]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038965; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Georgia, 
Laboratory of Archaeology, Athens, GA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

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.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after November 29, 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#ef8e9d808d9b878082af9a888ec18a8b9a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="58392a373a2c303735182d3f39763d3c2d">[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, and additional 
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results 
of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The 
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of 2,739 cultural items have been requested for 
repatriation. The 2,739 of unassociated funerary objects are a copper 
axe, pipe effigy fragment, lithics, indigenous ceramics, sherdlets, 
faunal remains including drum teeth, shell, unmodified slate fragment, 
mica, botanical shell bead, eroded garnet, burnt clay, glass, flotation 
samples.
    In approximately the 1940s, one copper axe was removed from 9BR24 
Shaw Mound, a burial mound, in Bartow County, Georgia. The collection 
was excavated by the landowner, Frank Shaw, in 1940. The object was 
given to the Department of Anthropology in 1994. This object was 
collected from the burial mound is considered an unassociated funerary 
object. No known research has been conducted on these objects. There is 
no record of any

[[Page 86358]]

potentially hazardous substances used to treat the unassociated 
funerary objects.
    In 1984, Bill Kilmer collected 26 lithics and indigenous ceramics 
from 9BR26 in Bartow County, Georgia. The material currently housed at 
the University of Georgia Laboratory of Archaeology was collected by 
Bill Killmer in 1984. These objects were noted as being collected above 
the burial and are being considered unassociated funerary objects. No 
known research has been conducted on these objects. There is no record 
of any potentially hazardous substances used to treat the unassociated 
funerary objects.
    In 1991, a collection that is believed to be from 9BR57, Garfield 
in Bartow County, Georgia was transferred to the University of Georgia, 
Laboratory of Archaeology. It is unclear who transferred the 
collection. James Chapman's name is associated with the material housed 
at the UGA Laboratory of Archaeology. The one lot (1983.9) faunal 
remains are included here as unassociated funerary objects for the 
proveniences that contain ancestral remains. It is not known what, if 
any additional research has been done on these objects. There is no 
record of any potentially hazardous substances used to treat the 
unassociated funerary objects.
    In 1951, Mary Kellog surface collected five lithics, sherdlets, and 
unmodified slate fragment from 9BR195, in Bartow County, Georgia. Due 
to proximity of proveniences with ancestors, these objects are 
considered unassociated funerary objects. It is not known what, if any 
additional research has been done on these objects. There is no record 
of any potentially hazardous substances used to treat the unassociated 
funerary objects.
    In 1951, Arthur Kelly and Mary Kellog excavated 59 indigenous 
ceramics, lithics, mica, faunal, botanical, shell bead, and eroded 
garnet from 9BR199, Cora Harris Cave in Bartow County, Georgia. Because 
of the nature of disturbance from looting at the site, these objects 
are considered unassociated funerary objects to the ancestors excavated 
at the site. It is not known what, if any additional research has been 
done on these objects. There is no record of any potentially hazardous 
substances used to treat the unassociated funerary objects.
    In 1951, Arthur Kelly and Mary Kellog excavated 329 indigenous 
ceramics, lithics, faunal, glass, burnt clay, botanicals, faunal, and 
shell from 9BR201, Raines Cave No. 2 in Bartow County, Georgia. Because 
of the nature of disturbance from looting at the site, these objects 
are considered unassociated funerary objects to the ancestors excavated 
at the site. It is not known what, if any additional research has been 
done on these objects. There is no record of any potentially hazardous 
substances used to treat the unassociated funerary objects.
    From 1988-1990, one bird effigy pipe fragment was removed from 9BR2 
Leake, a site in Bartow County. The collection including 31 burials 
were excavated by University of Georgia during those years and then 
housed at the University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology. While 
much research has occurred at this site, it does not appear that any 
research has occurred on this pipe fragment. There is no record of any 
potentially hazardous substances used to treat the unassociated 
funerary objects.
    From 1968 to 2009, 391 indigenous ceramics, lithics, soil, burnt 
clay, faunal including drum fish teeth, and flotation samples were 
collected from various periods of excavations and surface collections 
were made at 9GO4, Thompson, in Gordon County, Georgia. These objects 
are considered unassociated funerary objects due to their proximity to 
ancestor remains. There is no record of any potentially hazardous 
substances used to treat the unassociated funerary objects.
    In 1968, WW Scheppler surface collected 1,813 indigenous ceramics, 
lithics, faunal, and shell at 9GO8, Baxter, in Gordon County, Georgia. 
These objects are considered unassociated funerary objects due to their 
proximity to ancestor remains. There is no record of any potentially 
hazardous substances used to treat the unassociated funerary objects.

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 2,739 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 authorized representative identified 
in this notice under 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 November 29, 2024. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the 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 and to any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: October 25, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-25194 Filed 10-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>