Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Missouri Basin Region, Nebraska-Kansas Area Office, McCook, NE, 86362-86364 [2023-27370]
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86362
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / Notices
identified in this notice and, if joined to
a request from one or more of the Indian
Tribes, the Huron-Wendat Nation, a
non-federally recognized Indian group.
2. 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 human remains in
this notice to a requestor may occur on
or after January 12, 2024. If competing
requests for repatriation are received,
the Field Museum must determine the
most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains are
considered a single request and not
competing requests. The Field Museum
is responsible for sending a copy of this
notice to the Indian Tribes and Native
Hawaiian organizations identified in
this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act, 25
U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing
regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10, and
10.14.
Dated: December 6, 2023.
Melanie O’Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023–27380 Filed 12–12–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0037056;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Reclamation, Missouri Basin Region,
Nebraska-Kansas Area Office,
McCook, NE
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the Native
American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Reclamation, Nebraska-Kansas Area
Office (Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas
Area Office) has completed an inventory
of human remains and associated
funerary objects and has determined
that there is a cultural affiliation
between the human remains and
associated funerary objects and Indian
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations
in this notice. The human remains and
associated funerary objects were
removed from Jewell, Mitchell, Norton,
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SUMMARY:
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16:54 Dec 12, 2023
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and Phillips Counties, KS, and from
Frontier County, NE.
DATES: Repatriation of the human
remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice may occur on or after
January 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Catherine Griffin, Bureau of
Reclamation, Nebraska-Kansas Area
Office, 1706 West 3rd Street, McCook,
NE 69001, telephone (308) 345–8324,
email cgriffin@usbr.gov.
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 Reclamation
Nebraska-Kansas Area Office. The
National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
Additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including
the results of consultation, can be found
in the inventory or related records held
by the Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas
Area Office.
Description
14JW–HOFTS
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Jewell County, KS. Sometime prior
to 1982, a private citizen reported that
human remains were exposed on the
south shore of Lovewell Reservoir.
Native American archeological sites
with fragmentary human remains are
known to erode from the south shore of
Lovewell Reservoir. These sites date to
either the Plains Woodland period (A.D.
1–1000) or Plains Village period (A.D.
1000–1500). The Kansas Historical
Society (KHS) assigned Unmarked
Burial Sites (UBS) case number UBS
1991–52 to the human remains. The box
was labelled ‘‘Hofts Collection.’’ In
1995, Reclamation transferred the
human remains to the Wichita State
University’s Biological Anthropology
Laboratory (WSU–BAL) for inventory
and secure storage. The fragmentary
human remains belong to a young adult,
probably female, 20 to 30 years of age.
No associated funerary objects are
present.
14JW312
Human remains representing, at
minimum, 11 individuals were removed
from Jewell County, KS. In 1982, the
KHS, working under a cooperative
agreement with Reclamation, excavated
fragmentary and poorly preserved
human remains that were eroding into
Lovewell Reservoir at site 14JW312, aka
the Begin Ossuary. KHS excavated an
estimated 10 sets of commingled human
remains from a burial pit, and one set
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of human remains from an extended
primary burial. KHS assigned case
number UBS 1989–29 to the human
remains. In 1995, Reclamation
transferred the human remains and
associated funerary objects to WSU–
BAL for inventory and secure storage.
The fragmentary human remains
collected from 14JW312 belong to an
infant, a child, an adolescent, and male
and female adults. The four associated
funerary objects are one shell disc bead,
one lot consisting of pottery sherds
(from at least two different vessels), one
lot consisting of chipped stone debitage,
and one lot consisting of unmodified
deer bones. The associated funerary
objects date to the Upper Republican
phase of the Central Plains Tradition
(A.D. 950–1400).
14ML1
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the
Smithsonian Institution’s River Basin
Surveys (SI–RBS) recommended that a
salvage excavation be conducted at the
late prehistoric village site 14ML1, aka
the Glen Elder Site, prior to its
destruction by construction of Glen
Elder Dam. In 1963, the University of
Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL) excavated site
14ML1 under a cooperative agreement
with the National Park Service (NPS).
The 1963 excavation recovered two
human bones from a filled pit. In 2001,
graduate students working on faunal
and artifact curation found additional
human remains within the 14ML1
archeological collection. The
archeological materials from 14ML1
date to the Central Plains Tradition
(A.D. 1000–1500). In 2001, Reclamation
transferred the human remains to WSU–
BAL for inventory and secure storage.
The fragmentary human remains
collected from 14ML1 belong to a
mature adult of unknown sex. No
associated funerary objects are present.
14ML5
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the
SI–RBS recommended that a salvage
excavation be conducted at the late
prehistoric village site 14ML5 prior to
its inundation by Glen Elder Dam and
Waconda Lake. From 1964 to 1965, the
UNL excavated site 14ML5 under a
cooperative agreement with the NPS.
UNL excavated two earthen lodge floors
and an extramural work area. Human
remains were excavated from an
unknown area within the site. The
archeological materials from site 14ML5
are associated with the Solomon River
phase of the Central Plains Tradition
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / Notices
(A.D. 1000–1300). In 1992, Reclamation
transferred the human remains to WSU–
BAL for inventory and secure storage.
The human remains collected from
14ML5 belong to an infant or a young
child less than seven years of age. No
associated funerary objects are present.
14ML11
Human remains representing, at
minimum, two individuals were
removed from Mitchell County, KS. In
1952, the SI–RBS recommended that a
salvage excavation be conducted at the
late prehistoric village site 14ML11
prior to its being inundated by Glen
Elder Dam and Waconda Lake. From
1965 to 1967, the UNL excavated site
14ML11 under a cooperative agreement
with the NPS. UNL excavated an
earthen lodge floor, where they found
one nearly complete infant skeleton and
one set of adult human remains. The
archeological materials from the site are
associated with the Solomon River
phase of the Central Plains Tradition
(A.D. 1000–1300). In 1998, Reclamation
transferred the human remains to WSU–
BAL for inventory and secure storage.
The human remains belong to an infant
or a young child less than four years in
age, and a mature adult of indeterminate
sex. No associated funerary objects are
present.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
14ML15
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the
SI–RBS recommended that a salvage
excavation be conducted at the late
prehistoric village site 14ML15 prior to
its being inundated by Glen Elder Dam
and Waconda Lake. In 1964 and 1965,
the UNL excavated site 14ML15 under
a cooperative agreement with the NPS.
Human remains were present in one of
four earthen lodge floors excavated by
the UNL. The archeological materials
from the site are associated with the
Central Plains Tradition (A.D. 1000–
1500). In 1992, Reclamation transferred
the human remains to WSU–BAL for
inventory and secure storage. The
human remains collected from 14ML15
belong to a young adult female, 20 to 35
years of age. No associated funerary
objects are present.
14ML16
Human remains representing, at
minimum, 33 individuals were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the
SI–RBS recommended that a salvage
excavation be conducted at the late
prehistoric village site 14ML16 prior to
its being inundated by Glen Elder Dam
and Waconda Lake. In 1964 and 1965,
the UNL excavated site 14ML16 under
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16:54 Dec 12, 2023
Jkt 262001
a cooperative agreement with the NPS.
UNL excavated flexed and commingled
burials from several pit features within
earthen lodge floors. The archeological
materials from the site are associated
with the Central Plains Tradition (A.D.
1000–1500). KHS assigned case number
UBS 1995–9 to the human remains. In
1992, Reclamation transferred the
human remains and associated funerary
objects to WSU–BAL for inventory and
secure storage. The fragmentary human
remains collected from 14ML16 belong
to a fetus, an infant, a child, an
adolescent, a young adult, and mature
adults of both sexes. The nine
associated funerary objects are one lot
consisting of unworked faunal bones,
one lot consisting of worked faunal
bones, one lot consisting of chipped
stone debris, one lot consisting of
chipped stone tools, one lot consisting
of pottery sherds, one lot consisting of
shell beads, one lot consisting of
miscellaneous shells, one marine shell
gorget, and one lot consisting of
charcoal.
14NT11
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Norton County, KS. In 1962, the
UNL surveyed and excavated site
14NT11 under a cooperative agreement
with the NPS, prior to the site being
inundated by Norton Dam and Keith
Sebelius Lake. The site’s Plains
Woodland period (A.D. 1–1000)
component included an undisturbed
midden and subterranean pit features
containing charred corn and bison
faunal remains. During a NAGPRA
inventory in 1998, UNL identified the
human remains, and in 1999,
Reclamation transferred the human
remains to WSU–BAL for inventory and
secure storage. The human remains
collected from 14NT11 belong to a child
between 7.5 and 12.5 years of age and
of unknown sex. No associated funerary
objects are present.
14PH10
Human remains representing, at
minimum, three individuals were
removed from Phillips County, KS. In
1952, the SI–RBS recorded site 14PH10,
aka the West Island Site, but did not
recommend an excavation. In 1963, a
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
employee discovered human remains
and artifacts eroding from site because
of exposure during low lake levels at
Kirwin Reservoir. That same year, the
KHS State Archeologist, working under
a cooperative agreement with the NPS,
conducted an initial excavation, during
which human remains were collected
from the surface of the island’s eroding
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86363
shelf. In 1965, archeologists from the
University of Kansas, Lawrence (KU),
working under a cooperative agreement
with the NPS, excavated the site and
collected additional human remains.
The archeological materials from the
site date to the Keith phase of the Plains
Woodland period (A.D. 600–800). The
human remains collected in 1963,
which are securely stored at KHS (case
number UBS 1990–25), belong to one
adult male between 34 and 40 years of
age, and one adult female of unknown
age. The human remains collected in
1965, which are securely stored at KU
(accession number 698.1996), belong to
one adult, probably female based on the
presence of a wide sciatic notch of the
innominate. No associated funerary
objects are present.
14PH305
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Phillips County, KS. In 1978, KHS,
working under a contract with the FWS,
surveyed and tested site 14PH305
during an archeological survey of the
Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge. The
surveyors collected artifacts and bone
from the surface of the site and
excavated at least one soil core probe.
The archeological materials from the
site date to the Plains Woodland period
(A.D. 1–1000). In 2000, Dr. Michael
Finnegan at Forensic Anthropological
Consultants in Manhattan, KS,
inventoried the human remains, but
could not determine the age, sex, or
ancestry of the individual. In 2023,
Reclamation conducted a repository
facility review of KHS and became
aware of the human remains from
14PH305. The human remains are
securely stored at KHS (case number
UBS–2000.15). No associated funerary
objects are present.
25FT—
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were removed
from Frontier County, NE. Sometime
prior to 1982, a private individual
collected a human skull from Harry
Strunk Lake and subsequently donated
it to the University of Nebraska State
Museum (UNSM). The reported
discovery location is near two
archeological sites—25FT18, a Plains
Woodland period site (A.D. 1–1000),
and 25FT20, a Central Plains Tradition
site (A.D. 1000–1500). In 1995, UNSM
transferred the donated remains to
Reclamation. Prior to Reclamation’s
possession, the skull had been
reconstructed and coated in a shellaclike substance. In 2017, Dr. E. Melanie
Ryan, Reclamation’s California-Great
Basin Region, Regional NAGPRA
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86364
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 13, 2023 / Notices
Program Manager, determined that the
human remains belonged to an
individual of Native American ancestry,
based on non-metric cranial traits. In
2019, Reclamation transferred the
human remains to WSU–BAL for secure
storage. The human remains belong to
an adult male, 18 to 42 years of age. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Cultural Affiliation
The human remains and associated
funerary objects in this notice are
connected to one or more identifiable
earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or
cultures. There is a relationship of
shared group identity between the
identifiable earlier groups, tribes,
peoples, or cultures and one or more
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations. The following types of
information were used to reasonably
trace the relationship: anthropological,
archeological, geographical, linguistic,
oral traditional, other relevant
information, and expert opinion.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its
implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations, the Reclamation
Nebraska-Kansas Area Office has
determined that:
• The human remains described in
this notice represent the physical
remains of 56 individuals of Native
American ancestry.
• The 13 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.
• There is a relationship of shared
group identity that can be reasonably
traced between the human remains and
associated funerary objects described in
this notice and the Pawnee Nation of
Oklahoma; Three Affiliated Tribes of the
Fort Berthold Reservation, North
Dakota; and the Wichita and Affiliated
Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, &
Tawakonie), Oklahoma.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the
human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice must be sent to the
Responsible Official identified in
ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian
Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization
not identified in this notice who shows,
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16:54 Dec 12, 2023
Jkt 262001
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 human remains
and associated funerary objects in this
notice to a requestor may occur on or
after January 12, 2024. If competing
requests for repatriation are received,
the Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas Area
Office must determine the most
appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects are
considered a single request and not
competing requests. The Reclamation
Nebraska-Kansas Area Office is
responsible for sending a copy of this
notice to the Indian Tribes identified in
this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act, 25
U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing
regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10, and
10.14.
Dated: December 6, 2023.
Melanie O’Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023–27370 Filed 12–12–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–WASO–NAGPRA–NPS0037059;
PPWOCRADN0–PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion:
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the Native
American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University (PMAE)
has completed an inventory of human
remains and determined they are
reasonably believed to be related to the
lineal descendant in this notice. The
human remains were collected at the
Flandreau Indian School in Moody
County, SD.
DATES: Repatriation of the human
remains in this notice may occur on or
after January 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Jane Pickering, Peabody
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology,
Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue,
Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone (617)
496–2374, email jpickering@
fas.harvard.edu.
SUMMARY:
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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 PMAE. The
National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
Additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including
the results of consultation, can be found
in the inventory or related records held
by the PMAE.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description
Human remains representing, at
minimum, one individual were
collected at the Flandreau Indian School
in Moody County, SD. The human
remains are hair clippings collected
from one individual identified as
‘‘Sioux’’ who was recorded as being 16
years old. George E. Peters took the hair
clippings at the Flandreau Indian
School between 1930 and 1933. Peters
sent the hair clippings to George
Woodbury, who donated the hair
clippings to the PMAE in 1935. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Lineal Descent
The human remains in this notice are
connected to an identifiable individual
whose descendants can be traced
directly and without interruption by
means of a traditional kinship system or
by the common law system of
descendance.
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its
implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate lineal
descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native
Hawaiian organizations, the PMAE has
determined that:
• The human remains described in
this notice represent the physical
remains of one individual of Native
American ancestry.
• There is a direct lineal descendant
to the named individual whose human
remains are described in this notice.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the
human remains in this notice must be
sent to the Responsible Official
identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for
repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the lineal
descendants, Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations identified in
this notice.
2. 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
E:\FR\FM\13DEN1.SGM
13DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86362-86364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27370]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037056; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Reclamation, Missouri Basin Region, Nebraska-Kansas Area
Office, McCook, NE
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau
of Reclamation, Nebraska-Kansas Area Office (Reclamation Nebraska-
Kansas Area Office) has completed an inventory of human remains and
associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects
and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Jewell,
Mitchell, Norton, and Phillips Counties, KS, and from Frontier County,
NE.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after January 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Catherine Griffin, Bureau of Reclamation, Nebraska-Kansas
Area Office, 1706 West 3rd Street, McCook, NE 69001, telephone (308)
345-8324, email [email protected].
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
Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas Area Office. The National Park Service is
not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results
of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records held
by the Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas Area Office.
Description
14JW-HOFTS
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Jewell County, KS. Sometime prior to 1982, a private citizen
reported that human remains were exposed on the south shore of Lovewell
Reservoir. Native American archeological sites with fragmentary human
remains are known to erode from the south shore of Lovewell Reservoir.
These sites date to either the Plains Woodland period (A.D. 1-1000) or
Plains Village period (A.D. 1000-1500). The Kansas Historical Society
(KHS) assigned Unmarked Burial Sites (UBS) case number UBS 1991-52 to
the human remains. The box was labelled ``Hofts Collection.'' In 1995,
Reclamation transferred the human remains to the Wichita State
University's Biological Anthropology Laboratory (WSU-BAL) for inventory
and secure storage. The fragmentary human remains belong to a young
adult, probably female, 20 to 30 years of age. No associated funerary
objects are present.
14JW312
Human remains representing, at minimum, 11 individuals were removed
from Jewell County, KS. In 1982, the KHS, working under a cooperative
agreement with Reclamation, excavated fragmentary and poorly preserved
human remains that were eroding into Lovewell Reservoir at site
14JW312, aka the Begin Ossuary. KHS excavated an estimated 10 sets of
commingled human remains from a burial pit, and one set of human
remains from an extended primary burial. KHS assigned case number UBS
1989-29 to the human remains. In 1995, Reclamation transferred the
human remains and associated funerary objects to WSU-BAL for inventory
and secure storage. The fragmentary human remains collected from
14JW312 belong to an infant, a child, an adolescent, and male and
female adults. The four associated funerary objects are one shell disc
bead, one lot consisting of pottery sherds (from at least two different
vessels), one lot consisting of chipped stone debitage, and one lot
consisting of unmodified deer bones. The associated funerary objects
date to the Upper Republican phase of the Central Plains Tradition
(A.D. 950-1400).
14ML1
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the Smithsonian Institution's River
Basin Surveys (SI-RBS) recommended that a salvage excavation be
conducted at the late prehistoric village site 14ML1, aka the Glen
Elder Site, prior to its destruction by construction of Glen Elder Dam.
In 1963, the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL) excavated site 14ML1
under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service (NPS). The
1963 excavation recovered two human bones from a filled pit. In 2001,
graduate students working on faunal and artifact curation found
additional human remains within the 14ML1 archeological collection. The
archeological materials from 14ML1 date to the Central Plains Tradition
(A.D. 1000-1500). In 2001, Reclamation transferred the human remains to
WSU-BAL for inventory and secure storage. The fragmentary human remains
collected from 14ML1 belong to a mature adult of unknown sex. No
associated funerary objects are present.
14ML5
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the SI-RBS recommended that a
salvage excavation be conducted at the late prehistoric village site
14ML5 prior to its inundation by Glen Elder Dam and Waconda Lake. From
1964 to 1965, the UNL excavated site 14ML5 under a cooperative
agreement with the NPS. UNL excavated two earthen lodge floors and an
extramural work area. Human remains were excavated from an unknown area
within the site. The archeological materials from site 14ML5 are
associated with the Solomon River phase of the Central Plains Tradition
[[Page 86363]]
(A.D. 1000-1300). In 1992, Reclamation transferred the human remains to
WSU-BAL for inventory and secure storage. The human remains collected
from 14ML5 belong to an infant or a young child less than seven years
of age. No associated funerary objects are present.
14ML11
Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were
removed from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the SI-RBS recommended that
a salvage excavation be conducted at the late prehistoric village site
14ML11 prior to its being inundated by Glen Elder Dam and Waconda Lake.
From 1965 to 1967, the UNL excavated site 14ML11 under a cooperative
agreement with the NPS. UNL excavated an earthen lodge floor, where
they found one nearly complete infant skeleton and one set of adult
human remains. The archeological materials from the site are associated
with the Solomon River phase of the Central Plains Tradition (A.D.
1000-1300). In 1998, Reclamation transferred the human remains to WSU-
BAL for inventory and secure storage. The human remains belong to an
infant or a young child less than four years in age, and a mature adult
of indeterminate sex. No associated funerary objects are present.
14ML15
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the SI-RBS recommended that a
salvage excavation be conducted at the late prehistoric village site
14ML15 prior to its being inundated by Glen Elder Dam and Waconda Lake.
In 1964 and 1965, the UNL excavated site 14ML15 under a cooperative
agreement with the NPS. Human remains were present in one of four
earthen lodge floors excavated by the UNL. The archeological materials
from the site are associated with the Central Plains Tradition (A.D.
1000-1500). In 1992, Reclamation transferred the human remains to WSU-
BAL for inventory and secure storage. The human remains collected from
14ML15 belong to a young adult female, 20 to 35 years of age. No
associated funerary objects are present.
14ML16
Human remains representing, at minimum, 33 individuals were removed
from Mitchell County, KS. In 1952, the SI-RBS recommended that a
salvage excavation be conducted at the late prehistoric village site
14ML16 prior to its being inundated by Glen Elder Dam and Waconda Lake.
In 1964 and 1965, the UNL excavated site 14ML16 under a cooperative
agreement with the NPS. UNL excavated flexed and commingled burials
from several pit features within earthen lodge floors. The
archeological materials from the site are associated with the Central
Plains Tradition (A.D. 1000-1500). KHS assigned case number UBS 1995-9
to the human remains. In 1992, Reclamation transferred the human
remains and associated funerary objects to WSU-BAL for inventory and
secure storage. The fragmentary human remains collected from 14ML16
belong to a fetus, an infant, a child, an adolescent, a young adult,
and mature adults of both sexes. The nine associated funerary objects
are one lot consisting of unworked faunal bones, one lot consisting of
worked faunal bones, one lot consisting of chipped stone debris, one
lot consisting of chipped stone tools, one lot consisting of pottery
sherds, one lot consisting of shell beads, one lot consisting of
miscellaneous shells, one marine shell gorget, and one lot consisting
of charcoal.
14NT11
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Norton County, KS. In 1962, the UNL surveyed and excavated site
14NT11 under a cooperative agreement with the NPS, prior to the site
being inundated by Norton Dam and Keith Sebelius Lake. The site's
Plains Woodland period (A.D. 1-1000) component included an undisturbed
midden and subterranean pit features containing charred corn and bison
faunal remains. During a NAGPRA inventory in 1998, UNL identified the
human remains, and in 1999, Reclamation transferred the human remains
to WSU-BAL for inventory and secure storage. The human remains
collected from 14NT11 belong to a child between 7.5 and 12.5 years of
age and of unknown sex. No associated funerary objects are present.
14PH10
Human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals were
removed from Phillips County, KS. In 1952, the SI-RBS recorded site
14PH10, aka the West Island Site, but did not recommend an excavation.
In 1963, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) employee discovered
human remains and artifacts eroding from site because of exposure
during low lake levels at Kirwin Reservoir. That same year, the KHS
State Archeologist, working under a cooperative agreement with the NPS,
conducted an initial excavation, during which human remains were
collected from the surface of the island's eroding shelf. In 1965,
archeologists from the University of Kansas, Lawrence (KU), working
under a cooperative agreement with the NPS, excavated the site and
collected additional human remains. The archeological materials from
the site date to the Keith phase of the Plains Woodland period (A.D.
600-800). The human remains collected in 1963, which are securely
stored at KHS (case number UBS 1990-25), belong to one adult male
between 34 and 40 years of age, and one adult female of unknown age.
The human remains collected in 1965, which are securely stored at KU
(accession number 698.1996), belong to one adult, probably female based
on the presence of a wide sciatic notch of the innominate. No
associated funerary objects are present.
14PH305
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Phillips County, KS. In 1978, KHS, working under a contract with
the FWS, surveyed and tested site 14PH305 during an archeological
survey of the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge. The surveyors collected
artifacts and bone from the surface of the site and excavated at least
one soil core probe. The archeological materials from the site date to
the Plains Woodland period (A.D. 1-1000). In 2000, Dr. Michael Finnegan
at Forensic Anthropological Consultants in Manhattan, KS, inventoried
the human remains, but could not determine the age, sex, or ancestry of
the individual. In 2023, Reclamation conducted a repository facility
review of KHS and became aware of the human remains from 14PH305. The
human remains are securely stored at KHS (case number UBS-2000.15). No
associated funerary objects are present.
25FT--
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Frontier County, NE. Sometime prior to 1982, a private individual
collected a human skull from Harry Strunk Lake and subsequently donated
it to the University of Nebraska State Museum (UNSM). The reported
discovery location is near two archeological sites--25FT18, a Plains
Woodland period site (A.D. 1-1000), and 25FT20, a Central Plains
Tradition site (A.D. 1000-1500). In 1995, UNSM transferred the donated
remains to Reclamation. Prior to Reclamation's possession, the skull
had been reconstructed and coated in a shellac-like substance. In 2017,
Dr. E. Melanie Ryan, Reclamation's California-Great Basin Region,
Regional NAGPRA
[[Page 86364]]
Program Manager, determined that the human remains belonged to an
individual of Native American ancestry, based on non-metric cranial
traits. In 2019, Reclamation transferred the human remains to WSU-BAL
for secure storage. The human remains belong to an adult male, 18 to 42
years of age. No associated funerary objects are present.
Cultural Affiliation
The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice
are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes,
peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity
between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures
and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The
following types of information were used to reasonably trace the
relationship: anthropological, archeological, geographical, linguistic,
oral traditional, other relevant information, and expert opinion.
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations, the Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas Area Office has
determined that:
The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 56 individuals of Native American ancestry.
The 13 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.
There is a relationship of shared group identity that can
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary
objects described in this notice and the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma;
Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota;
and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, &
Tawakonie), Oklahoma.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. 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 human remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after January 12, 2024.
If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Reclamation
Nebraska-Kansas Area Office must determine the most appropriate
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the
human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single
request and not competing requests. The Reclamation Nebraska-Kansas
Area Office is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10,
and 10.14.
Dated: December 6, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-27370 Filed 12-12-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P