[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 134 (Tuesday, July 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37905-37906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18624]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items From Mississippi in 
the Possession of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, 
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service

ACTION: Notice

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

    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to repatriate 
cultural items in the possession of the Department of Sociology and 
Anthropology, University of Mississippi which meet the definition of 
``unassociated funerary objects'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    The cultural items consist of an 1801 Jefferson Peace Medal; a 
piece of cane showing copper staining; two metal knives with bone 
handles; 1,305 glass beads; a small brass kettle; an open-work silver 
buckle; ten circular silver brooches or ornaments, one engraved with 
the mark ``T.Dowler''; four silver ornament fragments; four silver 
bracelets; one silver crescent gorget; six brass screw rings; two 
silver ear pendants with red beads; ear pendant fragments; and a silver 
band.

[[Page 37906]]

    In 1917, these cultural items were removed from a grave located 
southwest of New Albany, MS by Mr. Will Ticer. Mr. Ticer donated these 
items to the Mississippi State Geological Survey in 1923. The 
Geological Survey Collection eventually became part of the Anthropology 
Museum collections at the University of Mississippi.
    Based on the cultural items, the burial from which they were 
removed has been determined to be Native American. The prescence of the 
1801 Jefferson Peace Medal indicates the burial dates to the first 
quarter of the nineteenth century, before Removal. This area of 
northeastern Mississippi from which the cultural items were recovered 
during this period was occupied and controlled by the present day tribe 
now known as the Chickasaw Nation. These cultural items are consistent 
with present burial practices and ethnographic accounts detailing 
historic-period Chickasaw burial practices. 
    Officials of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, 
University of Mississippi have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(2)(ii), these 1,340 cultural items 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 an Native American individual. Officials of the 
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Mississippi 
have also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity which can be reasonably traced 
between these items and the Chickasaw Nation.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Chickasaw Nation. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these objects should contact Jay Johnson, 
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Mississippi, 
Oxford, MS 38677 telephone (601) 232-7339 before August 13, 1998. 
Repatriation of these objects to the Chickasaw Nation may begin after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: June 29, 1998.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography.
[FR Doc. 98-18624 Filed 7-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F