[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66881-66882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33292]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the University Museum, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

AGENCY: National Park Service

ACTION: Notice

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3005 (a)(2), of the intent to 
repatriate cultural items in the possession of the University Museum, 
University Arkansas which meets the definition of ``unassociated 
funerary objects'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    The 981 cultural items were recovered from 37 archeological sites 
located in the Ouachita Mountains and the West Gulf Coastal Plan of 
southwestern Arkansas, including the counties of Clark, Dallas, 
Garland, Howard, Hot Springs, Lafayette, Little River, Logan, Miller, 
Mississippi, Montgomery, Perry, Scott, Sevier, and Yell. These objects 
include: animal bones, antlers, antler tools, arrowpoints, an awl, 
axes, a basket, beads, blades, boatstones, bone tools, celts, clay 
balls and fragments, corn, earplugs, earspools, knives, leather, 
lithics, mano, modified stones, pigments, pipes and pipe fragments, 
projectile points and fragments, quartz crystals, seeds, shell (conch, 
mussel, terrapin, beads, disks, gorget, fragments), sherds, a skewer, 
stone artifacts, vessels (bottles, bowls, jars, vases, fragments), and 
mixed wood and copper pieces.
    In 1929, 29 cultural items from sites in Garland, Hot Springs, and 
Yell counties were accessioned into the University Museum collections. 
The donors are unknown.
    In 1931, four cultural items from Garland County were recovered 
during University Museum-sponsored excavations and accessioned into 
University Museum collections.
    In 1931, 85 cultural items from Montgomery, Logan, and Garland 
counties were accessioned into the University Museum collections. The 
donors are unknown.
    In 1933, 117 cultural items from Yell and Scott counties were 
recovered during University Museum-sponsored excavations and 
accessioned into University Museum collections.
    In 1934, nine cultural items from Clark County were recovered 
during University Museum-sponsored excavations and accessioned into 
University Museum collections.
    In 1940, 135 cultural items from Hot Springs, Garland, and 
Lafayette counties were recovered during University Museum-sponsored 
excavations and accessioned into University Museum collections.
    In 1947, four cultural items from Perry and Garland counties were 
purchased from Fain White King by the University Museum.
    In 1951, two cultural items from Dallas County were recovered 
during University Museum-sponsored excavations and accessioned into 
University Museum collections.
    In 1955, 317 cultural items from Garland, Miller, Lafayette, and 
Little River counties were purchased from Pete Miroir by the University 
Museum.
    In 1960, one cultural item from Scott County was donated by Mrs. 
J.W. Parks to the University Museum.
    In 1961, 113 cultural items from Howard County were donated by Dr. 
Clarence Webb to the University Museum.
    In 1962, 40 cultural items from Miller County were recovered during 
University Museum-sponsored excavations and accessioned into University 
Museum collections.
    In 1962, nine cultural items from Little River County were 
recovered during University Museum-sponsored excavations and 
accessioned into University Museum collections.
    In 1964, 16 cultural items from Sevier County were recovered during 
University Museum-sponsored excavations and accessioned into University 
Museum collections.
    In 1970, three cultural items from Scott County were recovered 
during a University field school and accessioned into University Museum 
collections.
    In 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, and 1991, 111 cultural items from 
Miller, Howard,

[[Page 66882]]

Sevier, and Mississippi Counties were donated to the University Museum 
by unknown persons.
    The 37 sites from which the cultural items were recovered are 
associated with the Fourche Maline culture (500 BC--800 AD) and the 
Caddoan Culture (800--1600 AD) based on material culture and site 
organization. Based on tools, ceramics, and manner of interments, these 
sites show continuity of occupations through these periods. Accession 
information indicates all 981 cultural items were recovered from burial 
contexts. Archeological, ethnohistoric, and historical document 
evidence indicates Caddoan affiliation through tools, ceramics, manner 
of internments, and recorded language terms and cultural 
characteristics (1542-1543 AD) are correlated to the sites included in 
the above counties.
    Officials of the University of Arkansas have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), these 981 cultural items are 
reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual human 
remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or 
ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have 
been removed from a specific burial site of an Native American 
individual. Officials of the University of Arkansas have also 
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 
items and the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Caddo Tribe of 
Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these objects should contact 
Michael P. Hoffman, Curator of Anthropology, University Museum, 
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, telephone (501) 575-
3855 before January 21, 1998. Repatriation of these objects to the 
Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma may begin after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
Dated: December 15, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-33292 Filed 12-19-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F