[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]
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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
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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]
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