[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 207 (Monday, October 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55653-55655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28389]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects From South Dakota in the Possession of 
the South Dakota State Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City, SD

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 
3003 (d), of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects from South Dakota in the possession of the 
South Dakota State Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City, SD.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by South Dakota 
State Archaeological Research Center (SARC) professional staff and 
contract specialists in physical anthropology and archeology in 
consultation with representatives of the Three Affiliated Tribes of 
North Dakota.
    During the early 1900s, human remains representing one individual 
were recovered after eroding out of a cutbank at the Peoria Bottom 
Village (39HU3), Hughes County, South Dakota by unknown person(s). In 
1994, these human remains and geographic provenance information were 
discovered in the collections of SARC. No known individual was 
identified. No assoicated funerary objects are present.
    Based on ceramics, the Peoria Bottom Village has been identified as 
an Extended Variant of the Coalescent Tradition occupied between 1550-
1675 A.D.  
    In 1915, human remains representing one individual were excavated 
from the Leavenworth site (39CO9), Corson County, SD by W.H. Over of 
the University of South Dakota Museum. In 1976, these human remains 
were transferred to the SARC. No known individual was identified. The 
two associated funerary objects are metal projectile points embedded in 
the remains.
    Based on the most likely burial location in the village cemetary, 
this individual has been determined to be Native American. The 
Leavenworth site is a well-documented Arikara village occupied between 
1797-1832 A.D. based on historical documents (Lewis and Clark, 1804; 
Catlin, 1832; Maximilian, 1833) and material culture of the site.
    In 1917 and 1920, human remains representing four individuals were 
excavated from the Mobridge Village site (39WW1), Walworth County, 
South Dakota by W.H. Over of the University of South Dakota Museum. In 
1976, these human remains were transferred to the SARC. No known 
individuals were identified. The two associated funerary objects are an 
unmodified bird bone and one unmodified turtle scapula.
    Based on ceramic types and earthlodge architecture, the Mobridge 
Village site has been identified as a postcontact Coalescent Tradition 
occupation (1675-1780 A.D.). Based on manner of interment, these 
individuals have been identified as Native American.
    In 1917 or 1921, human remains representing one individual were 
excavated from the Cheyenne River Village (39ST1), Stanley County, 
South Dakota by W.H. Over of the University of South Dakota Museum. In 
1987, the human remains and geographical provenance information were 
discovered in the collections of the SARC. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on manner of interment, this individual has been determined 
to be Native American. The Cheyenne River Village has been identified 
as a multi-component site of the Extended Middle Missouri, Extended 
Coalescent, and Post-Contact Coalescent periods. The manner of 
interment of this individual is consistent with the Coalescent burial 
customs dating from 1550-1780 A.D.
    In 1987, human remains representing one individual were found in 
SARC collections. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    There was no accompanying geographic or recovery information with 
this individual. The cranial morphology

[[Page 55654]]

of this individual is consistent with Arikara populations.
    In 1990, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from site 39HK along the Bad River, Haakon County, South Dakota by 
hikers. No known individuals were identified. The five associated 
funerary objects are bone tool fragments.
    The cranial morphology of the adult individual is consistent with 
Arikara populations.
    In 1991, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site 39BK20, Scout Island, Brookings County, South Dakota 
following their discovery by hikers. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on ceramics, site 39BK20 has been identified as an occupation 
of the Initial Middle Missouri period (900-1400 A.D.). Although Initial 
Middle Missouri sites are most likely related to the Mandan, the 
craniometric morphology of this individual are consistent with known 
Arikara populations.
    In 1992, human remains representing one individual were transferred 
to the SARC from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid 
City, SD. No known individual was identified. The three associated 
funerary objects are a ceramic rim sherd, a cobble, and a bear femur.
    No additional collection information was available from the South 
Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The presence of this rim sherd 
indicates this burial dates from the Extended Variant of the Coalescent 
Tradition (1550-1675 A.D.).
    During the early 1990s, human remains representing one individual 
were found at site 39HU, Hughes County, South Dakota by Fred Jennewein. 
In 1993, this individual was transferred to SARC. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Cranial morphology and geographic location of this individual 
indicate a likely affiliation with the Arikara.
    In 1994, human remains representing one individual were transferred 
to SARC from the Adams Museum, Deadwood, South Dakota. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    No museum records were found regarding provenance or acquisition of 
this individual. Craniometric morphology for this individual is 
consistent with Coalescent populations dating between 1400-1862 A.D.  
    Based on continuities of material culture, technology, and village 
sites as well as oral histories, the Coalescent tradition has been 
identified as Arikara in North and South Dakota from the late 1300s 
through the historic period. The present day Three Affiliated Tribes 
consist of the Arikara, the Mandan, and the Hidatsa.
    In 1991, human remains representing eleven individuals were 
recovered from an eroding cutbank at site 39CA102, Campbell County, 
South Dakota by SARC personnel. No known individuals were identified. 
The 60 associated funerary objects include one projectile point, one 
biface, one celt, four modified stone flakes, seven unmodified stone 
flakes, six fire-cracked rocks, unmodified stones, four fossil 
fragments, one bone bead, one incomplete rodent skeleton, a wolf 
mandible and maxilla, and mammal bone fragments.
    Based on cultural material recovered during a surface survey in 
1986, site 39CA102 has been identified as a Plains Village Tradition 
occupation dating to 900-1700 A.D. Craniometric measurements of the 
single complete cranium are consistent with those of known Mandan 
populations.
    In 1992, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
by the Pierre Police Department. Investigations revealed that the 
remains had been removed from their original location and recently 
reburied. In 1992, these remains were transferred to the SARC. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The original burial location of this individual is unknown. 
Craniometric measurements of this individual are consistent with known 
Mandan populations.
    In about 1992, human remains representing one individual from an 
unknown site in Walworth County, South Dakota were received by law 
enforcement officials from person(s) unknown. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Craniometric measurements and morphology of this individual are 
consistent with those of known Mandan populations.
    In 1992, human remains representing one individual were transferred 
to the SARC from the Office of the State Archeologist of Iowa. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    These human remains were found in the collections of the Iowa 
Masonic Library, Cedar Rapids, IA and transferred to the Office of the 
State Archeologist of Iowa. No documentation was discovered in the 
library's record concerning provenance or acquisition of this 
individual. Craniometric morphology of this individual are consistent 
with those of known Mandan populations.
    In 1938, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from the Thomas Riggs site (39HU1) by person(s) unknown, who sent the 
remains to the Sioux City Public Museum, Sioux City, IA. In 1994, these 
human remains were found in the collections of the Sioux City Public 
Museum and transferred to the SARC. No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on radiocarbon samples, the Thomas Riggs site has been 
identified as an occupation dating to 1378-1524 A.D., and is affiliated 
with the Extended varient of the Middle Missouri Tradition based on 
cultural materials.
    In 1986, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
during construction activities at site 39HL4, Lake Poinsett, Hamlin 
County, South Dakota and donated to the SARC. No known individuals were 
identified. The 19 associated funerary objects include ceramic 
fragments, one bone tool handle, two modified freshwater shells 
(pendants?), one unmodified mollusk shell, and one clay pipe fragment.
    Based on the type of ceramics found with the burials, these 
individuals have been determined to be Native American and date from 
the Great Oasis Aspect of the Terminal Woodland period (950-1120 A.D.).
    In 1993, human remains representing one individual were transferred 
to SARC from the Dacotah Prairie Museum, Aberdeen, South Dakota. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    No museum records were found regarding provenance or acquisition of 
this individual. Craniometric measurements for this individual fall 
between known Mandan and Arikara populations.
    In 1994, human remains representing one individual from the Twelve 
Mile Creek Village and Mounds (39HT1,3) were found in collections at 
the SARC. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Between 1906 and 1940, several excavations of the Twelve Mile Creek 
Village and Mounds site recovered human remains, however, there is no 
intrasite provenance for this individual. Based on ceramics and 
radiocarbon samples, this site has been dated to the Lower James phase 
of the Middle Missouri Tradition (900-1350 A.D.).
    In 1995, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site 39ST291, Stanley County, South Dakota by SARC personnel 
during a construction project. No known

[[Page 55655]]

individual was identified. The two associated funerary objects are 
shell tinklers.
    Craniometric measurements of this individual are consistent with 
those of known Mandan populations.
    Based on continuities of material culture, architecture, and 
skeletal morphology, in addition to oral tradition and historical 
evidence, the cultural affiliation of the sites and individuals listed 
above can be affiliated with Mandan. This includes villages and sites 
determined to be affiliated with the Middle Missouri Tradition 
(encompassing the Initial, Extended, and Terminal variants). In 1870, 
the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes were moved to the Fort Berthold 
Indian Reservation in North Dakota and have since been known as the 
Three Affiliated Tribes.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the SARC 
have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains 
listed above represent the physical remains of 34 individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the SARC have also determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 93 objects listed 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. Lastly, officials of the SARC have determined that, pursuant 
to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity 
which can be reasonably traced between these Native American human 
remains and associated funerary objects and the Three Affiliated Tribes 
of North Dakota.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Cheyenne River Sioux 
Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Three 
Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Renee Boen, Curator, State Archaeological 
Center, South Dakota Historical Society, P.O. Box 1257, Rapid City, SD 
57709-1257; telephone: (605) 394-1936, before November 26,, 1997. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota may begin after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: October 21, 1997.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Assistant Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-28389 Filed 10-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F