[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 164 (Thursday, August 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49947-49948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16880]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Mississippi 
Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division, 
Jackson, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Mississippi 
Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division, 
Jackson, MS, that meet the definition of ``unassociated funerary 
objects'' under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    An assessment of the cultural items was made by the Mississippi 
Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
    In the summer of 1937, one cultural item was removed from the 
McCullough site (MLe11), Lee County, MS, along a ridgetop south of 
Kings Creek, by Moreau Chambers, an archeologist with the Mississippi 
Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation Division as 
part of an ongoing survey and legally authorized excavation. The 
excavation and survey were undertaken to study Chickasaw culture in Lee 
County, MS, and to find the location of the Battle of Ackia, as part of 
the process for establishing Ackia Battleground National Monument. The 
one cultural item, a shell gorget, was found in association with Native 
American human remains.

[[Page 49948]]

    The McCullough site (MLe11) was determined by Mr. Chambers not to 
be the location of the Battle of Ackia, but a multi-component site 
consisting of a possibly late prehistoric component, an early Chickasaw 
component, and a later historic Chickasaw component based on the type 
of prehistoric and historic artifacts found, ethnohistorical maps, 
local tradition, and archeological findings (Atkinson 1985; B. Lieb, 
personal communication 2005; Stubbs 1982). The ethnohistorical maps 
show this area to be inhabited by historic Chickasaw. Allotment records 
also show that Ah Thla Tubby, a Chickasaw, was allotted this section of 
land in 1836 (Stubbs 1982).
    In the summer of 1937, Mr. Chambers removed cultural items from the 
Alston-Wilson site (MLe14), Lee County, MS. The 550 cultural items are 
1 shell ear plug; 6 grog-tempered potsherds; 1 gunspall; 1 clear, cut-
faceted, crystal bead; 455 blue seed beads (Type IIA4); 15 large, 
wound, glass necklace beads with a heavy patina (Type WIA6); 29 wound, 
mold-faceted, clear, glass necklace beads (Type WIIA2); 12 blue, 
faceted glass necklace beads (Type WIIA3); 1 wound, mold-faceted, amber 
glass necklace bead (Type WIIA4); 9 drawn and wound, black and white 
(``rattlesnake'') beads (Type WIIIA5); 1 drawn, spiral-striped, black 
and white bead (Type WIIIA3); 18 tubular, faceted, translucent beads 
(Type WIIC1); and 1 translucent, oval-shaped, faceted necklace bead 
(Type WIC1). The 550 cultural items were found in association with 
Native American human remains.
    The human remains associated with these cultural items from the 
McCullough and Alston-Wilson sites were stored in an off-site 
repository in Jackson, MS. In the 1940s, the repository burned and the 
human remains were destroyed and are no longer in the possession of the 
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Preservation 
Division.

    The Alston-Wilson site, now better known as MLe14 because of later 
excavations by Jesse Jennings in 1939 on behalf of the National Park 
Service, was excavated one month after the McCullough site and has a 
major occupation dating to A.D.1730-1750. Archeological evidence found 
at the Alston-Wilson site suggests that this site was part of a major 
historic Chickasaw village. In the 1730s, there were two major villages 
in the vicinity of the Alston-Wilson site that were occupied by the 
Chickasaw: Tchichatala and Falatchao. Tchichatala was a major Chickasaw 
village. Falatchao was a ``white mother town'' meaning it was both a 
``white'' town (or a peace town, as opposed to a ``red'' war town) and 
``mother'' town from which other towns emerged (Hudson 1976:238-239: 
Nairne [1708] 1988:38).
    Both Tchichatala and Falatchao are recognized in historical 
documents as being occupied by the Chickasaw. However, because of the 
fluid nature of Chickasaw village occupation, it is difficult to 
identify the specific boundaries of historic Chickasaw villages. 
Therefore, based on the archeological evidence that the site was part 
of a major Chickasaw village and at that time both villages were in the 
area, the Alston-Wilson site is most probably part of either the 
village of Tchichatala or Falatchao (Atkinson 1985, 2004; Brad Lieb, 
personal communication 2004; Cook et al. 1980; Jennings 1941; Johnson 
et al. 2004).
    Based on historical evidence that Lee County, MS, where both the 
Alston-Wilson site (MLe14) and the McCullough site (MLe11) are located, 
was occupied by the Chickasaw until their removal to Oklahoma from 1837 
until 1850, both sites are probably Chickasaw. The Chickasaws are 
represented by the present-day Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
    Officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, 
Historic Preservation Division have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 551 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. Officials of the Mississippi Department of Archives and 
History, Historic Preservation Division also have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group 
identity that can be reasonably traced between the unassociated 
funerary objects and the Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the 551 unassociated funerary objects 
should contact Pamela D. Edwards, Mississippi Department of Archives 
and History, Historic Preservation Division, P. O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 
39205, telephone (601) 576-6940, before September 26, 2005. 
Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to the Chickasaw 
Nation, Oklahoma may proceed after that date if no additional claimants 
come forward.
    The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic 
Preservation Division is responsible for notifying the Chickasaw 
Nation, Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 26, 2005.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 05-16880 Filed 8-24-05; 8:45 am]
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