Notice of Inventory Completion: Idaho Transportation Department, Boise, ID, and Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 6113-6114 [2015-02224]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6113-6114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02224]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-17383;PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Idaho Transportation Department, 
Boise, ID, and Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology, University 
of Idaho, Moscow, ID

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Idaho Transportation Department has completed an inventory 
of human remains and associated funerary objects in consultation with 
the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives 
of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in 
this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human 
remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request 
to the Idaho Transportation Department. If no additional requestors 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Idaho Transportation Department at the 
address in this notice by March 6, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Marc M[uuml]nch, State Highway Archaeologist, Idaho 
Transportation Department, 3311 W. State Street, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, 
ID 83707-1129, telephone (208) 334-8449, email 
marc.munch@itd.idaho.gov.

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 Idaho 
Transportation Department, Boise, ID, and in the physical custody of 
the Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology, Moscow, ID. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 10NP102 
(Arrow Beach) and 10NP105 (Lenore Village) in Nez Perce County, ID.
    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 Idaho 
Transportation Department and professional staff from the Alfred W. 
Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology in consultation with representatives 
of the Nez Perce Tribe (previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of 
Idaho).

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, 1 individual and 
208 associated funerary objects were removed from the Arrow Beach site 
(10NP102) in Nez Perce County, ID. In 1967, a human burial marked by a 
large pile of stones mounded on top of the body and including funerary 
objects was uncovered at the Arrow Beach site (10NP102). The body was 
in a loosely flexed position facing east. The burial was radiocarbon 
dated to 2930 B.P.  130 years. Due to the crushed state of 
the remains, age and sex are indeterminate.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed and 
transferred to the Idaho State University Museum. In 1976, the 
collection was transferred to the University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers 
Laboratory of Anthropology for study and analysis (UI accession number 
76-14). No known individuals were identified.
    The 208 associated funerary objects are: Debitage (n=80), stones 
(n=2), edge ground cobble (n=1), cobble fragment (n=1), modified flake 
(n=1), spall (n=1), biface (n=1), uniface (n=1), fish (n=1), bivalve 
(n=1), bivalve fragments (1 lot), rodent bone (n=1), medium mammal bone 
fragments (n=27), small mammal bone fragments (n=12), small mammal bone 
fragments (1 lot), unidentified mammal bone fragments (n=52), 
unidentified mammal bone fragments (2 lots), charcoal (n=1), charcoal 
(6 lots), unidentified excrement (n=4 lots/1 piece), ochre (n=1), ochre 
(1 lot), soil samples (n=2), soil sample (3 lots), glass fragment 
(n=1), modified large mammal vertebra (n=1), bone awls (n=2).
    The earliest occupation of the Arrow Beach (10NP102) site dates to 
3500-3000 B.P. The human burial found at 10NP102 likely belongs to this 
phase and has been radiocarbon dated to 2930 B.P.  130. The 
site is believed to have been temporarily abandoned after the first 
phase and reoccupied around 2800 B.P. with significant evidence of 
continuous occupation lasting until the early 1800s. The Arrow Beach 
(10NP102) site is located within the traditional territories of the Nez 
Perce Tribe and lies well within current reservation boundaries 
established in the Treaty of 1863.
    Between 1968 and 1970, human remains representing, at minimum, 
three individuals were removed from the Lenore Village site (10NP105) 
in Nez Perce County, ID. Human remains were unearthed in the NE corner 
of Unit 20L4 (Feature 26). The body was in an extended position with 
the head oriented west and the feet oriented east. The remains are a 
male likely in his 30s-40s with historic-era clothing.
    Human remains were unearthed in Block A-3A (Feature 12). This 
individual was described as having two traumatic injuries suggestive of 
a bullet wound in the skull. The individual is of indeterminate sex or 
age, due to the state of the remains.
    A cranium and cranium fragment were unearthed 36 cm below the 
surface in Block 17L15. The individual was initially described as 
having a small molar which led to a faulty assumption that the 
individual was a child. This burial was not assigned a feature or 
burial number.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed and 
transferred to the Idaho State University Museum. In 1976, the 
collection was transferred to the University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers 
Laboratory of Anthropology, for study and analysis (UI accession number 
76-14). No known individuals were identified.
    The 2038 unassociated funerary objects are: Debitage (n=1680), 
debitage (n=4 lots), rocks (n=48), flaked cobbles (n=8), cores (n=5), 
net sinker blank (n=1), modified flakes (n=44), bifaces (n=7), uniface 
(n=1), cobble flakes (n=6), cobbles (n=3), projectile points (n=2), 
spall (n=1), edge battered cobbles (n=9), end battered cobbles (n=7), 
ground stones (n=5), fire cracked rock (n=14), tested cobbles (n=5), 
pestles (n=2), fragments of elk bone (n=2), unidentified bone fragments 
(possibly human) (n=8 lots), unidentified mammal bone fragments (n=89), 
unidentified mammal bone fragments (n=6 lots), teeth (n=2), ochre 
(n=13), charcoal (n=17), charcoal (n=22 lots),

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soil (1 lot), clothing and buttons (n=3 lots), left boot heel (n=1 
lot), right boot heel (1 lot), glass fragments (n=4), historic nails 
and glass (n=12 fragments), historic battery (n=1), seeds (n=2), beetle 
(n=1), beetle remains (n=1 lot).
    The Lenore Village site dates to at least 8,000 B.P. with 
occasional occupation of the site in the post-contact period. The 
Lenore Village (10NP105) site is located within the traditional 
territories of the Nez Perce Tribe and lies well within current 
reservation boundaries established in the Treaty of 1863.

Determinations Made by the Idaho Transportation Department

    Officials of the Idaho Transportation Department have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 4 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 2246 objects 
described in this notice 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 and the Nez 
Perce Tribe (previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho).

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Marc M[uuml]nch, State Highway Archaeologist, 
Idaho Transportation Department, 3311 W. State Street, P.O. Box 7129, 
Boise, ID 83707-1129, telephone (208) 334-8449, email 
marc.munch@itd.idaho.gov, by March 6, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Nez Perce Tribe 
(previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho) may proceed.
    The Idaho Transportation Department is responsible for notifying 
the Nez Perce Tribe (previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho) 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 22, 2014.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-02224 Filed 2-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P