Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, Walla Walla, WA and the Washington State University, Museum of Anthropology, Pullman, WA, 73667-73670 [2011-30613]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 229 / Tuesday, November 29, 2011 / Notices
Western Oregon. Dr. Karshner lived
primarily in Puyallup, WA from 1905–
1951 but was known to travel widely
and collect items during his trips.
Although he traveled throughout the
United States and internationally,
museum records indicate he only
removed NAGPRA items from
Washington State, Southeast Alaska,
and Western Oregon.
The Karshner Museum received a
formal joint claim for these remains
from the Confederated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde Community of Oregon;
Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup
Reservation, Washington; and Samish
Indian Tribe, Washington.
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Determinations Made by the Paul H.
Karshner Memorial Museum, Puyallup,
WA
Officials of the Karshner Museum
have determined that:
• Based on morphological
characteristics identified during review
by a physical anthropologist the human
remains are Native American.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a
relationship of shared group identity
cannot be reasonably traced between the
Native American human remains and
any present-day Indian tribe.
• Multiple lines of evidence,
including treaties, Acts of Congress, and
Executive Orders, indicate that the land
from which the Native American human
remains were removed is the aboriginal
land of the Confederated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde Community of Oregon;
Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup
Reservation, Washington; and the
Samish Indian Tribe, Washington.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the
human remains described in this notice
represent the physical remains of three
individuals of Native American
ancestry.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the
disposition of the human remains is to
the Confederated Tribes of the Grand
Ronde Community of Oregon; Puyallup
Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation,
Washington; and the Samish Indian
Tribe, Washington.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian tribe
that believes itself to be culturally
affiliated with the human remains or
any other Indian tribe that believes it
satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR
10.11(c)(1) should contact Brian Fox,
Director of Instructional Leadership,
Paul H. Karshner Memorial Museum,
Puyallup, WA, telephone (253) 841–
8646, before December 29, 2011.
Disposition of the human remains
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon; Puyallup Tribe
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of the Puyallup Reservation,
Washington; and Samish Indian Tribe,
Washington may proceed after that date
if no additional requestors come
forward.
The Karshner Museum is responsible
for notifying The Tribes and the Indian
Groups that this notice has been
published.
Dated: November 22, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011–30615 Filed 11–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[2253–665]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S.
Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District, Walla
Walla, WA and the Washington State
University, Museum of Anthropology,
Pullman, WA
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The United States Department
of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers,
Walla Walla District, and the
Washington State University Museum of
Anthropology, have completed an
inventory of human remains and
associated funerary objects, in
consultation with the appropriate
Indian tribes, and have determined that
there is a cultural affiliation between the
human remains and associated funerary
objects and present-day Indian tribes.
Repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects 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 and
associated funerary objects should
contact the U.S. Department of Defense,
Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla
District at the address below by
December 29, 2011.
ADDRESSES: LTC David Caldwell, U.S.
Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District, 201
North Third Ave., Walla Walla, WA
99362, telephone (509) 527–7700.
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 and associated
funerary objects under the control of the
U.S. Department of Defense, Army
SUMMARY:
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73667
Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District
(Corps), Walla Walla, WA, and in the
physical custody of the Washington
State University, Museum of
Anthropology (WSU), Pullman, WA.
The human remains and associated
funerary objects were removed from
Benton, Franklin, Garfield and Walla
Walla Counties in Washington State.
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 Native
American human remains and
associated funerary objects. The
National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
Consultation
A detailed assessment of the human
remains was made by the Corps and
WSU professional staff in consultation
with representatives of the Confederated
Tribes of Colville Reservation,
Washington; Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon;
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the
Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez Perce
Tribe, Idaho; and the Wanapum Band, a
non-Federally recognized Indian group.
History and Description of the Remains
Sites 45BN3, 45BN6, 45BN15,
45BN45 (aka 45BN186), 45BN55,
45BN161, 45FR5, and 45FR101 are
located within the McNary Lock and
Dam Project on the Columbia River,
WA, which is managed by the Corps.
The Corps initiated land acquisition
processes for the McNary Lock and Dam
Project in 1947. Sites 45WW48 and
45WW49 are located within the Ice
Harbor Lock and Dam Project on the
Lower Snake River, which is managed
by the Corps. The Corps initiated land
acquisition processes for the Project in
1955. Site 45GA12 is located within the
Little Goose Lock and Dam Project on
the Snake River, which is managed by
the Corps. The Corps initiated land
acquisition processes for the Project in
1963. Site 465GA40 is located within
the Lower Granite Lock and Dam
Project, which is managed by the Corps.
The Corps initiated land acquisition
processes for the Project in 1965.
Site 45BN3
In 1948, the Smithsonian Institution’s
River Basin Survey Project (SRBS)
removed human remains and associated
funerary objects from 45BN3, a precontact-protohistoric village site located
on Berrian’s Island, which is situated in
the Columbia River, in Benton County,
WA. SRBS transferred the human
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remains and associated funerary objects
to the Smithsonian Institution; the
Oregon State Museum of Anthropology,
Eugene, OR; and the University of
Washington (UW) Burke Museum,
Seattle, WA. The human remains and
funerary objects in the custody of UW
came from Burials 1 and 29. In 1996, at
the Corps’ request, UW transferred the
human remains and associated funerary
objects in its custody to WSU, which
inventoried them in 2002. In 2007, the
U.S. Department of Defense, Army
Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District,
Mandatory Center for Expertise for the
Curation and Management of
Archaeological Collections (MCX),
conducted a second inventory of the
human remains and associated funerary
objects in the custody of WSU. This
inventory identified the human remains
from Burials 1 and 29 as belonging to
two young adult males. No known
individuals were identified. The three
associated funerary objects are 1 bone
whistle from Burial 1; and 2 lots of seed
beads from Burial 29.
The estimated date range of the
burials from 45BN3 is 1750–1811, based
upon the presence at this site of
Colonial uniform buttons whose earliest
manufacture date is c.1750, and the
absence of firearms, whose use by local
tribes began c.1811. Further evidence
supporting the date of these burials is
the volume of trade goods observed in
both the burials and in the village site.
Distinctive morphological traits among
the human remains, burial methods, and
associated funerary objects, as well as
evidence of contemporaneous mat lodge
pots at the village site, all indicate
Native American ancestry and funerary
traditions reflective of Native groups of
the Columbia Plateau. Other expert
opinion evidence for determining
cultural affiliation is the Smithsonian
Institution’s 2004 offer to return the
remains of 33 individuals and 758
funerary objects from 45BN3 to the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, Oregon;
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the
Yakama Nation, Washington; and the
Wanapum Band, a non-Federally
recognized Indian group.
Site 45BN6
In 1950, human remains representing
a minimum of one individual were
removed by the SRBS from Site 45BN6,
a pre-contact-protohistoric village site
along the Columbia River, in Benton
County, WA. The individual was
removed from a test pit in a steep bank
near the river’s edge. Portions of the
SRBS collection, including the remains
of the individual, were transferred to the
UW Burke Museum (accession #1966–
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87). In 1997, UW transferred human
remains from 45BN6 to WSU, where
they were inventoried in 2002. In 2006,
during a second inventory of the
remains, MCX determined that the
remains of the individual belong to an
adult of indeterminate sex. No known
individuals were identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Site 45BN6 was interpreted as a
village occupied from the late 1700s to
1850, based on the minimal amount of
trade items found in earlier deposits at
the site, and the types of trade items
found in the later deposits. This village
was noted in the 1812 accounts of a
non-Native explorer. Distinctive
morphological traits indicate the
individual is of Native American
ancestry.
Site 45BN15
In 1947, 1951, and 1952, SRBS
removed human remains and associated
funerary objects from 27 burials at
45BN15, on Rabbit Island, which is
situated in the Columbia River, in
Benton County, WA. SRBS transferred
the human remains and funerary objects
to the Whitman Mission; Whitman
College; the Smithsonian Institution;
and the UW Burke Museum (accession
#1966–87). In a 1995 inventory, UW
reported the presence of human remains
and associated funerary objects from 13
burials excavated at 45BN15 during the
aforementioned SRBS investigations.
UW transferred these human remains
and associated funerary objects to WSU
in 1997 and 2001. WSU re-inventoried
the human remains and associated
funerary objects from 45BN15 in 2002,
and confirmed that the collections
included items from the 1947, 1951, and
1952 SRBS investigations. In 2003, WSU
indentified additional human remains
from 45BN15 in a collection transferred
to it from the University of Idaho (UI).
In 2006, MCX performed an inventory of
the human remains and associated
funerary objects from 45BN15 at WSU
and determined the minimum number
of individuals to be 17. No known
individuals were identified. The 102
associated funerary objects are 4 adze
blades, 1 awl, 2 beaver incisors, 2 bone
needles, 1 bone point, 1 bone toggle, 1
incised bird bone, 3 pieces of incised
bone, 3 pestles, 3 polished bone items,
3 polished ground stone items, 43
projectile points, 1 shell pendant, 1
stone pendant, 1 stone pipe, 1 stone
scraper, 3 lots of bag residue, 3 lots of
bird remains, 2 lots of mammal remains,
2 lots of natural stone, 2 lots of ochre,
10 lots of shell beads, 1 lot of stone
beads, and 8 lots of stone flakes.
The burials at Rabbit Island have been
attributed to two distinct time periods
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based on burial traditions/methods. The
later burials (Rabbit Island II) predate
1750 AD, and the earlier burials (Rabbit
Island I) date to the Frenchman-Springs
Phase (3500–1500 BP). Expert opinion
evidence for determining cultural
affiliation is the determination by
Whitman Mission (in 1992) and
Whitman College (in 2008) that the
human remains and funerary objects
from the site in their custody were
culturally affiliated with the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, Oregon, as well as
the Smithsonian Institution’s 2004 offer
to return those human remains from the
site in their possession to the
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, Oregon. Based on
distinctive morphological traits and
associated funerary objects that are
consistent with Plateau burial
traditions, all of the individuals have
been determined to be Native American.
Site 45BN45
In 1948, human remains representing,
at minimum, one individual, were
removed from 45BN45 (aka 45BN186),
located on an island in the Columbia
River in Benton County, WA. The
remains were housed at the UW Burke
Museum, where they were inventoried
in 1995. The collection was transferred
to WSU in 1997 where, in 2002, it was
again inventoried. The remains,
belonging to a juvenile of indeterminate
sex, exhibit extensive copper staining,
which suggests that the burial originally
included objects dating to the
protohistoric period. No known
individuals were identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Site 45BN55
In 1949 and 1950, Thomas Garth
excavated 10 burials and two cremation
pit burials from 45BN55, a village site
on Sheep Island in Benton County, WA.
The human remains and funerary
objects were subsequently transported
to Whitman College. Sometime prior to
1959, the remains of three individuals
were transferred from Whitman College
to the UW Burke Museum for
examination by Rodger Helgar. In 1950,
the SRBS excavated remnants of the
1949 cremation pit burials and 17
additional burials from site 45BN55.
The 1950 SRBS collection was
transported to UW (accession #1966–
87). UW’s 1995 inventory reported the
presence of human remains and
funerary objects from both the 1949
Garth investigation (BA–BC) and the
1950 SRBS excavations (Burials 1–2, 4–
17 and Cremation Pit #1–2). In 1997, at
the request of the Corps, UW transferred
this collection to WSU, which
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conducted its own inventory in 2002. In
2006, the MCX reported that this
collection comprises the human remains
of, at minimum, 43 individuals. The 68
associated funerary objects are 2 beaver
incisors, 1 bone needle, 2 carved antler
items, 7 carved bone items, 1 incised
bone item, 1 mortar, 3 pecked stone
items, 2 pestles, 17 projectile points, 1
shell pendant, 1 stone bowl fragment, 1
stone core, 1 stone pipe, 2 stone
scrapers, 1 lot of antler fragments, 1 lot
of bag residue, 8 lots of mammal
remains, 1 lot of natural stone, 1 lot of
plant remains, 6 lots of shell beads, 6
lots of stone flakes, and 2 lots of wood
fragments.
Two of the cremation burials
identified at 45BN55 were located
directly above several primary burials,
suggesting two different periods of use.
The burial methods and funerary objects
such as dentalia and olivella shell,
suggest inhumation in the late precontact period. The presence of
cremation practices at 45BN55 may be
evidence for a late pre-contact and early
historic cremation complex in the
southern Plateau. The human remains
were analyzed by Rodger Helgar (UW)
and were identified as Native American.
Site 45BN161
In 1968 and 1975, 18 burials were
removed from 45BN161, on Bateman
Island/Columbia Park Island in Benton
County, WA, during salvage archeology
efforts by UI and the Mid-Columbia
Archaeological Society (MCAS). All
human remains and some portion of the
funerary objects from the site were
reported to have been reburied at the
West Richland Cemetery (also known as
Wanawish Cemetery) in 1973, 1976, and
1982, by the Confederated Bands and
Tribes of the Yakama Nation,
Washington. An additional burial at
45BN161 (Burial 16) was identified in
1982, during testing by MCAS. The
human remains from Burial 16,
representing, at minimum, one
individual were identified and
inventoried by UI in 1995, and were
transferred to WSU in 2001. The
archeological data indicates a nearly
continuous distribution of cultural
material at 45BN161, spanning
approximately 2,000 years. Most of the
burials date to the late pre-contactprotohistoric occupation. Portions of the
human remains were examined by
physical anthropologist J. A. Lynch (UI)
and were determined to be Native
American.
Site 45FR5
In 1977 and 1999, human remains
representing, at minimum, two
individuals, were removed from 45FR5,
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a village site on Strawberry Island,
which is situated in the Snake River, in
Benton County, WA. On September 23,
1977, a Native American infant burial
was removed from Unit D96 during
excavations led by WSU and assisted by
the MCAS. On August 29, 1999, human
remains (a left tibia) representing one
Native American adult male were
inadvertently discovered at 45FR5. The
remains were transferred to WSU and
inventoried in 2003. The infant was
reportedly reburied in 1982, at the
Wanawish Cemetery, at the request of
the Confederated Tribes and Bands of
the Yakama Nation, Washington;
however, a 2007 inventory by WSU and
MCX indicate that human remains of an
infant and a fragmentary human femur
removed from Unit D96 are present in
the 45FR5 collection. No known
individuals were identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Dated deposits at 45FR5 indicate the
site was occupied as early as 600 AD,
and during the precontact period, with
a gap in occupation during c.700–1300
AD. Two dates were obtained for the
infant burial (Unit D96): 1406–1486 AD
and 1412–1499 AD. The human remains
removed in 1999 were examined by a
physical anthropologist and found to be
consistent with those of a Native
American individual. Traditionally, the
confluence of the Snake and Columbia
Rivers was utilized by many different
groups, including the Yakama, Palus,
Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla
Tribes.
Site 45FR101
In 1967, human remains representing,
at minimum, six individuals, were
excavated from Site 45FR101, at
Chiawana Park, in Benton County, WA.
At this time an additional ten burials
were excavated and individuals were
reportedly reburied at Wanawish
Cemetery in 1982. During the period
1990–2000, human remains and
funerary objects from the excavations
were transferred from UI and MCAS
members to WSU. Inventories
conducted by WSU resulted in the
identification of human remains from
the following Burials/Units: Burial 3;
Burial 5 (Unit 039S); Units AA29S,
A11S, 035S, 037S, 038S, P38S, Q38S,
Q39S, S36S, T40S, U36S, U40S, Tr 5 S,
and Tr 5 E. The MCX determined that
these human remains represent, at
minimum, five individuals: four adults
and one sub-adult, 6–8 years of age.
Subsequently, UI identified human
remains from 45FR101 within its
Human Osteology collection (labeled
‘‘45FR101 1–39–5–5- 51’’). UI
transferred these remains to WSU in
2009, where a physical anthropologist
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determined they belonged to a single
adult male of Native American ancestry.
No known individuals were identified.
The 32 associated funerary objects are:
2 stone rings, 2 shell pendants, 1 pestle,
1 bone needle, 10 bone whistles, 2
projectile points, 4 lots of stone flakes,
8 lots of shell beads, and 2 lots of stone
beads.
Artifacts from 45FR101 have been
stylistically dated to the Cayuse Phase
(950–250 BP) and the earlier Frenchman
Springs Phase, with one dating to the
even earlier Lind Coulee Phase. Of the
16 burials removed from 45FR101, 11
were dated by the investigators to the
pre-contact period. Aside from the six
individuals in this notice, all of the
human remains from this site were
previously reinterred by the Corps in
coordination with representatives from
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, Oregon and the
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the
Yakama Nation, Washington.
Site 45GA12
In 1985, fragmentary human remains
representing one individual were
collected from the Steelman Site
(45GA12) by Roderick Sprague of UI.
The remains had been inadvertently
exposed by power equipment working
in the area of the site, located near
Central Ferry. The remains were
transferred from UI to WSU in 2000. No
known individuals were identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
The site was originally recorded by
Nelson (1964) and tested by Sprague
and Combs (1965). It was described as
a large, late pre-contact open camp site.
Numerous floods had destroyed
portions of the site. The majority of the
site is now inundated.
Site 45GA40
In 1978, WSU performed an
emergency burial recovery for the Corps
at Site 45GA40, in Garfield County, WA,
and removed fragmentary human
remains representing, at minimum, one
individual. The materials were
inventoried by WSU in 1998. No known
individuals were identified. The six
associated funerary objects include: 1
lot of mammal remains, 3 lots of
debitage, 1 lot of glass fragments, and 1
lot of bag residue.
Site 45GA40 was originally identified
by WSU during an archeological site
inventory of the Lower Granite Project
in 1966. Its deposits indicate use from
the Cascade Phase (6000–8000 years BP)
to the late prehistoric periods.
Site 45WW48
In 1978, cranial remains representing,
at minimum, one individual were
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identified by a member of the public at
site 45WW48, and were collected by the
Walla Walla County Sherriff’s
Department and transferred to the
Corps. The Corps subsequently
transferred these remains to WSU for
identification. Distinctive
morphological characteristics indicate
that the remains are Native American.
No known individuals were identified.
No associated funerary objects are
present. Site 45WW48 is adjacent to a
pre-contact village and burial site and is
consistent with other pre-contact Snake
River burial sites.
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Site 45WW49
In 1976, the Corps collected human
remains representing, at minimum, one
individual from site 45WW49, near
Charbonneau Park on the south shore of
the Snake River. Distinctive
morphological characteristics indicate
that the remains are Native American.
No known individuals were identified.
No associated funerary objects are
present.
Site 45WW49 lies within the
boundaries of Site 45WW17, a precontact occupation site. The burial was
found on a low sandy bench, above a
river terrace habitation component. This
arrangement is consistent with the
Plateau pattern of pre-contact and
historic Native American villages,
whereby a burial ground is located close
to and above the village, on a bluff or
hill slope. Both sites are now inundated.
The relevant evidence supports a
cultural affiliation between the
Confederated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation, Washington; Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation,
Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands
of the Yakama Nation, Washington; and
the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho (hereinafter
referred to as ‘‘The Tribes’’) and the
above-documented sites and collections.
Additionally, a cultural relationship is
determined to exist between the sites
and collections and the Wanapum Band,
a non-Federally recognized Indian
group (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘The
Indian Group’’). Information provided
by The Tribes and The Indian Group
shows that they are descended from the
Native people who occupied these sites,
and that the individuals buried along
the Snake and mid-Columbia rivers are
their ancestors. The aforementioned
tribes are all part of the more broadly
defined Plateau cultural community
having shared past and present
traditional lifeways that bind them to
common ancestors.
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Determinations Made by the U.S.
Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District
Officials of the U.S. Department of
Defense, Army Corps of Engineers,
Walla Walla District, have determined
that:
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9)–(10)
the human remains described above
represent the physical remains of 77
individuals of Native American
ancestry.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A),
the 211 objects 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.
• 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 associated funerary objects,
The Tribes, and The Indian Group.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian tribe
that believes itself to be culturally
affiliated with the human remains and
associated funerary objects should
contact LTC David Caldwell, U.S.
Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District, 201
North Third Ave., Walla Walla, WA
99362, telephone (509) 527–7700, before
December 29, 2011. Repatriation of the
human remains and associated funerary
objects to The Tribes and The Indian
Group may proceed after that date if no
additional claimants come forward.
The U.S. Department of Defense,
Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla
District, is responsible for notifying The
Tribes and The Indian Group, that this
notice has been published.
Dated: November 22, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011–30613 Filed 11–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[2253–665]
Notice of Inventory Completion:
University of Michigan Museum of
Anthropology, Ann Arbor, MI
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The University of Michigan
has completed an inventory of human
remains and associated funerary objects,
in consultation with the appropriate
SUMMARY:
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Indian tribes, and has determined that
there is no cultural affiliation between
the remains and any present-day Indian
tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe
that believes itself to be culturally
affiliated with the human remains may
contact the University of Michigan
Office of the Vice President for
Research. Disposition of the human
remains and associated funerary objects
to the Indian tribes stated below may
occur if no additional requestors come
forward.
DATES: Representatives of any Indian
tribe that believes it has a cultural
affiliation with the human remains
should contact the University of
Michigan Office of the Vice President
for Research at the address below by
December 29, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA
Project Manager, Office of the Vice
President for Research, University of
Michigan, 4080 Fleming Building, 503
Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI
48109–1340, telephone (734) 647–9085.
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 and associated
funerary objects in the possession of the
University of Michigan. The human
remains and associated funerary objects
were removed from three sites in
Mackinac County, MI.
This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service’s administrative
responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25
U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 43 CFR 10.11(d).
The determinations in 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
in this notice.
Consultation
A detailed assessment of the human
remains was made by University of
Michigan officials and its Museum of
Anthropology NAGPRA collections staff
in consultation with representatives of
the Bay Mills Indian Community,
Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of
Ottawa and Chippewa Indians,
Michigan; Hannahville Indian
Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac
Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little
River Band of Ottawa Indians,
Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of
Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-benash-she-wish Band of Potawatomi
Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi
E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM
29NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73667-73670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30613]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[2253-665]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army
Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, Walla Walla, WA and the
Washington State University, Museum of Anthropology, Pullman, WA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District, and the Washington State University
Museum of Anthropology, have completed an inventory of human remains
and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate
Indian tribes, and have determined that there is a cultural affiliation
between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-
day Indian tribes. Repatriation of the human remains and associated
funerary objects 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 and associated funerary
objects should contact the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District at the address below by December 29,
2011.
ADDRESSES: LTC David Caldwell, U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps
of Engineers, Walla Walla District, 201 North Third Ave., Walla Walla,
WA 99362, telephone (509) 527-7700.
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 and
associated funerary objects under the control of the U.S. Department of
Defense, Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District (Corps), Walla
Walla, WA, and in the physical custody of the Washington State
University, Museum of Anthropology (WSU), Pullman, WA. The human
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Benton,
Franklin, Garfield and Walla Walla Counties in Washington State.
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 Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Consultation
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Corps
and WSU professional staff in consultation with representatives of the
Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes
and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho; and
the Wanapum Band, a non-Federally recognized Indian group.
History and Description of the Remains
Sites 45BN3, 45BN6, 45BN15, 45BN45 (aka 45BN186), 45BN55, 45BN161,
45FR5, and 45FR101 are located within the McNary Lock and Dam Project
on the Columbia River, WA, which is managed by the Corps. The Corps
initiated land acquisition processes for the McNary Lock and Dam
Project in 1947. Sites 45WW48 and 45WW49 are located within the Ice
Harbor Lock and Dam Project on the Lower Snake River, which is managed
by the Corps. The Corps initiated land acquisition processes for the
Project in 1955. Site 45GA12 is located within the Little Goose Lock
and Dam Project on the Snake River, which is managed by the Corps. The
Corps initiated land acquisition processes for the Project in 1963.
Site 465GA40 is located within the Lower Granite Lock and Dam Project,
which is managed by the Corps. The Corps initiated land acquisition
processes for the Project in 1965.
Site 45BN3
In 1948, the Smithsonian Institution's River Basin Survey Project
(SRBS) removed human remains and associated funerary objects from
45BN3, a pre-contact-protohistoric village site located on Berrian's
Island, which is situated in the Columbia River, in Benton County, WA.
SRBS transferred the human
[[Page 73668]]
remains and associated funerary objects to the Smithsonian Institution;
the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology, Eugene, OR; and the University
of Washington (UW) Burke Museum, Seattle, WA. The human remains and
funerary objects in the custody of UW came from Burials 1 and 29. In
1996, at the Corps' request, UW transferred the human remains and
associated funerary objects in its custody to WSU, which inventoried
them in 2002. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, St. Louis District, Mandatory Center for Expertise for the
Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections (MCX), conducted
a second inventory of the human remains and associated funerary objects
in the custody of WSU. This inventory identified the human remains from
Burials 1 and 29 as belonging to two young adult males. No known
individuals were identified. The three associated funerary objects are
1 bone whistle from Burial 1; and 2 lots of seed beads from Burial 29.
The estimated date range of the burials from 45BN3 is 1750-1811,
based upon the presence at this site of Colonial uniform buttons whose
earliest manufacture date is c.1750, and the absence of firearms, whose
use by local tribes began c.1811. Further evidence supporting the date
of these burials is the volume of trade goods observed in both the
burials and in the village site. Distinctive morphological traits among
the human remains, burial methods, and associated funerary objects, as
well as evidence of contemporaneous mat lodge pots at the village site,
all indicate Native American ancestry and funerary traditions
reflective of Native groups of the Columbia Plateau. Other expert
opinion evidence for determining cultural affiliation is the
Smithsonian Institution's 2004 offer to return the remains of 33
individuals and 758 funerary objects from 45BN3 to the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes
and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; and the Wanapum Band, a
non-Federally recognized Indian group.
Site 45BN6
In 1950, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were removed by the SRBS from Site 45BN6, a pre-contact-protohistoric
village site along the Columbia River, in Benton County, WA. The
individual was removed from a test pit in a steep bank near the river's
edge. Portions of the SRBS collection, including the remains of the
individual, were transferred to the UW Burke Museum (accession
1966-87). In 1997, UW transferred human remains from 45BN6 to
WSU, where they were inventoried in 2002. In 2006, during a second
inventory of the remains, MCX determined that the remains of the
individual belong to an adult of indeterminate sex. No known
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Site 45BN6 was interpreted as a village occupied from the late
1700s to 1850, based on the minimal amount of trade items found in
earlier deposits at the site, and the types of trade items found in the
later deposits. This village was noted in the 1812 accounts of a non-
Native explorer. Distinctive morphological traits indicate the
individual is of Native American ancestry.
Site 45BN15
In 1947, 1951, and 1952, SRBS removed human remains and associated
funerary objects from 27 burials at 45BN15, on Rabbit Island, which is
situated in the Columbia River, in Benton County, WA. SRBS transferred
the human remains and funerary objects to the Whitman Mission; Whitman
College; the Smithsonian Institution; and the UW Burke Museum
(accession 1966-87). In a 1995 inventory, UW reported the
presence of human remains and associated funerary objects from 13
burials excavated at 45BN15 during the aforementioned SRBS
investigations. UW transferred these human remains and associated
funerary objects to WSU in 1997 and 2001. WSU re-inventoried the human
remains and associated funerary objects from 45BN15 in 2002, and
confirmed that the collections included items from the 1947, 1951, and
1952 SRBS investigations. In 2003, WSU indentified additional human
remains from 45BN15 in a collection transferred to it from the
University of Idaho (UI). In 2006, MCX performed an inventory of the
human remains and associated funerary objects from 45BN15 at WSU and
determined the minimum number of individuals to be 17. No known
individuals were identified. The 102 associated funerary objects are 4
adze blades, 1 awl, 2 beaver incisors, 2 bone needles, 1 bone point, 1
bone toggle, 1 incised bird bone, 3 pieces of incised bone, 3 pestles,
3 polished bone items, 3 polished ground stone items, 43 projectile
points, 1 shell pendant, 1 stone pendant, 1 stone pipe, 1 stone
scraper, 3 lots of bag residue, 3 lots of bird remains, 2 lots of
mammal remains, 2 lots of natural stone, 2 lots of ochre, 10 lots of
shell beads, 1 lot of stone beads, and 8 lots of stone flakes.
The burials at Rabbit Island have been attributed to two distinct
time periods based on burial traditions/methods. The later burials
(Rabbit Island II) predate 1750 AD, and the earlier burials (Rabbit
Island I) date to the Frenchman-Springs Phase (3500-1500 BP). Expert
opinion evidence for determining cultural affiliation is the
determination by Whitman Mission (in 1992) and Whitman College (in
2008) that the human remains and funerary objects from the site in
their custody were culturally affiliated with the Confederated Tribes
of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon, as well as the Smithsonian
Institution's 2004 offer to return those human remains from the site in
their possession to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, Oregon. Based on distinctive morphological traits and
associated funerary objects that are consistent with Plateau burial
traditions, all of the individuals have been determined to be Native
American.
Site 45BN45
In 1948, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual,
were removed from 45BN45 (aka 45BN186), located on an island in the
Columbia River in Benton County, WA. The remains were housed at the UW
Burke Museum, where they were inventoried in 1995. The collection was
transferred to WSU in 1997 where, in 2002, it was again inventoried.
The remains, belonging to a juvenile of indeterminate sex, exhibit
extensive copper staining, which suggests that the burial originally
included objects dating to the protohistoric period. No known
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Site 45BN55
In 1949 and 1950, Thomas Garth excavated 10 burials and two
cremation pit burials from 45BN55, a village site on Sheep Island in
Benton County, WA. The human remains and funerary objects were
subsequently transported to Whitman College. Sometime prior to 1959,
the remains of three individuals were transferred from Whitman College
to the UW Burke Museum for examination by Rodger Helgar. In 1950, the
SRBS excavated remnants of the 1949 cremation pit burials and 17
additional burials from site 45BN55. The 1950 SRBS collection was
transported to UW (accession 1966-87). UW's 1995 inventory
reported the presence of human remains and funerary objects from both
the 1949 Garth investigation (BA-BC) and the 1950 SRBS excavations
(Burials 1-2, 4-17 and Cremation Pit 1-2). In 1997, at the
request of the Corps, UW transferred this collection to WSU, which
[[Page 73669]]
conducted its own inventory in 2002. In 2006, the MCX reported that
this collection comprises the human remains of, at minimum, 43
individuals. The 68 associated funerary objects are 2 beaver incisors,
1 bone needle, 2 carved antler items, 7 carved bone items, 1 incised
bone item, 1 mortar, 3 pecked stone items, 2 pestles, 17 projectile
points, 1 shell pendant, 1 stone bowl fragment, 1 stone core, 1 stone
pipe, 2 stone scrapers, 1 lot of antler fragments, 1 lot of bag
residue, 8 lots of mammal remains, 1 lot of natural stone, 1 lot of
plant remains, 6 lots of shell beads, 6 lots of stone flakes, and 2
lots of wood fragments.
Two of the cremation burials identified at 45BN55 were located
directly above several primary burials, suggesting two different
periods of use. The burial methods and funerary objects such as
dentalia and olivella shell, suggest inhumation in the late pre-contact
period. The presence of cremation practices at 45BN55 may be evidence
for a late pre-contact and early historic cremation complex in the
southern Plateau. The human remains were analyzed by Rodger Helgar (UW)
and were identified as Native American.
Site 45BN161
In 1968 and 1975, 18 burials were removed from 45BN161, on Bateman
Island/Columbia Park Island in Benton County, WA, during salvage
archeology efforts by UI and the Mid-Columbia Archaeological Society
(MCAS). All human remains and some portion of the funerary objects from
the site were reported to have been reburied at the West Richland
Cemetery (also known as Wanawish Cemetery) in 1973, 1976, and 1982, by
the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation, Washington. An
additional burial at 45BN161 (Burial 16) was identified in 1982, during
testing by MCAS. The human remains from Burial 16, representing, at
minimum, one individual were identified and inventoried by UI in 1995,
and were transferred to WSU in 2001. The archeological data indicates a
nearly continuous distribution of cultural material at 45BN161,
spanning approximately 2,000 years. Most of the burials date to the
late pre-contact-protohistoric occupation. Portions of the human
remains were examined by physical anthropologist J. A. Lynch (UI) and
were determined to be Native American.
Site 45FR5
In 1977 and 1999, human remains representing, at minimum, two
individuals, were removed from 45FR5, a village site on Strawberry
Island, which is situated in the Snake River, in Benton County, WA. On
September 23, 1977, a Native American infant burial was removed from
Unit D96 during excavations led by WSU and assisted by the MCAS. On
August 29, 1999, human remains (a left tibia) representing one Native
American adult male were inadvertently discovered at 45FR5. The remains
were transferred to WSU and inventoried in 2003. The infant was
reportedly reburied in 1982, at the Wanawish Cemetery, at the request
of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington;
however, a 2007 inventory by WSU and MCX indicate that human remains of
an infant and a fragmentary human femur removed from Unit D96 are
present in the 45FR5 collection. No known individuals were identified.
No associated funerary objects are present.
Dated deposits at 45FR5 indicate the site was occupied as early as
600 AD, and during the precontact period, with a gap in occupation
during c.700-1300 AD. Two dates were obtained for the infant burial
(Unit D96): 1406-1486 AD and 1412-1499 AD. The human remains removed in
1999 were examined by a physical anthropologist and found to be
consistent with those of a Native American individual. Traditionally,
the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers was utilized by many
different groups, including the Yakama, Palus, Umatilla, Cayuse, and
Walla Walla Tribes.
Site 45FR101
In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, six individuals,
were excavated from Site 45FR101, at Chiawana Park, in Benton County,
WA. At this time an additional ten burials were excavated and
individuals were reportedly reburied at Wanawish Cemetery in 1982.
During the period 1990-2000, human remains and funerary objects from
the excavations were transferred from UI and MCAS members to WSU.
Inventories conducted by WSU resulted in the identification of human
remains from the following Burials/Units: Burial 3; Burial 5 (Unit
039S); Units AA29S, A11S, 035S, 037S, 038S, P38S, Q38S, Q39S, S36S,
T40S, U36S, U40S, Tr 5 S, and Tr 5 E. The MCX determined that these
human remains represent, at minimum, five individuals: four adults and
one sub-adult, 6-8 years of age. Subsequently, UI identified human
remains from 45FR101 within its Human Osteology collection (labeled
``45FR101 1-39-5-5- 51''). UI transferred these remains to WSU in 2009,
where a physical anthropologist determined they belonged to a single
adult male of Native American ancestry. No known individuals were
identified. The 32 associated funerary objects are: 2 stone rings, 2
shell pendants, 1 pestle, 1 bone needle, 10 bone whistles, 2 projectile
points, 4 lots of stone flakes, 8 lots of shell beads, and 2 lots of
stone beads.
Artifacts from 45FR101 have been stylistically dated to the Cayuse
Phase (950-250 BP) and the earlier Frenchman Springs Phase, with one
dating to the even earlier Lind Coulee Phase. Of the 16 burials removed
from 45FR101, 11 were dated by the investigators to the pre-contact
period. Aside from the six individuals in this notice, all of the human
remains from this site were previously reinterred by the Corps in
coordination with representatives from the Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon and the Confederated Tribes and
Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington.
Site 45GA12
In 1985, fragmentary human remains representing one individual were
collected from the Steelman Site (45GA12) by Roderick Sprague of UI.
The remains had been inadvertently exposed by power equipment working
in the area of the site, located near Central Ferry. The remains were
transferred from UI to WSU in 2000. No known individuals were
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
The site was originally recorded by Nelson (1964) and tested by
Sprague and Combs (1965). It was described as a large, late pre-contact
open camp site. Numerous floods had destroyed portions of the site. The
majority of the site is now inundated.
Site 45GA40
In 1978, WSU performed an emergency burial recovery for the Corps
at Site 45GA40, in Garfield County, WA, and removed fragmentary human
remains representing, at minimum, one individual. The materials were
inventoried by WSU in 1998. No known individuals were identified. The
six associated funerary objects include: 1 lot of mammal remains, 3
lots of debitage, 1 lot of glass fragments, and 1 lot of bag residue.
Site 45GA40 was originally identified by WSU during an
archeological site inventory of the Lower Granite Project in 1966. Its
deposits indicate use from the Cascade Phase (6000-8000 years BP) to
the late prehistoric periods.
Site 45WW48
In 1978, cranial remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were
[[Page 73670]]
identified by a member of the public at site 45WW48, and were collected
by the Walla Walla County Sherriff's Department and transferred to the
Corps. The Corps subsequently transferred these remains to WSU for
identification. Distinctive morphological characteristics indicate that
the remains are Native American. No known individuals were identified.
No associated funerary objects are present. Site 45WW48 is adjacent to
a pre-contact village and burial site and is consistent with other pre-
contact Snake River burial sites.
Site 45WW49
In 1976, the Corps collected human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual from site 45WW49, near Charbonneau Park on the
south shore of the Snake River. Distinctive morphological
characteristics indicate that the remains are Native American. No known
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Site 45WW49 lies within the boundaries of Site 45WW17, a pre-
contact occupation site. The burial was found on a low sandy bench,
above a river terrace habitation component. This arrangement is
consistent with the Plateau pattern of pre-contact and historic Native
American villages, whereby a burial ground is located close to and
above the village, on a bluff or hill slope. Both sites are now
inundated.
The relevant evidence supports a cultural affiliation between the
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington;
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon;
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation, Oregon; Confederated
Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; and the Nez Perce
Tribe, Idaho (hereinafter referred to as ``The Tribes'') and the above-
documented sites and collections. Additionally, a cultural relationship
is determined to exist between the sites and collections and the
Wanapum Band, a non-Federally recognized Indian group (hereinafter
referred to as ``The Indian Group''). Information provided by The
Tribes and The Indian Group shows that they are descended from the
Native people who occupied these sites, and that the individuals buried
along the Snake and mid-Columbia rivers are their ancestors. The
aforementioned tribes are all part of the more broadly defined Plateau
cultural community having shared past and present traditional lifeways
that bind them to common ancestors.
Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District
Officials of the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of
Engineers, Walla Walla District, have determined that:
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9)-(10) the human remains
described above represent the physical remains of 77 individuals of
Native American ancestry.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 211 objects
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.
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 associated funerary objects, The Tribes, and
The Indian Group.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary
objects should contact LTC David Caldwell, U.S. Department of Defense,
Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, 201 North Third Ave.,
Walla Walla, WA 99362, telephone (509) 527-7700, before December 29,
2011. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects
to The Tribes and The Indian Group may proceed after that date if no
additional claimants come forward.
The U.S. Department of Defense, Army Corps of Engineers, Walla
Walla District, is responsible for notifying The Tribes and The Indian
Group, that this notice has been published.
Dated: November 22, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-30613 Filed 11-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P
