[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 58 (Friday, March 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14754-14757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7500]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the University of 
Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of University of Nebraska State 
Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by University 
of Nebraska professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.
    In 1959, human remains representing five individuals were recovered 
from site 25BD1 overlooking Ponca Creek, Boyd County, NE during 
excavations conducted under the direction of T. Witty. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, site 25BD1 has been 
identified as an Initial Coalescent occupation dated to circa 1400 A.D.
    In 1931, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from Cache 3 of site 25BF1 near Sweetwater, NE during excavations 
conducted by W.R. Wedel under the direction of W.D. Strong. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, site 25BF1 has been 
identified as a Loup River Phase (Itskari Phase) occupation dating to 
between 1250-1450 A.D.
    In 1940, human remains representing 20 individuals from site 25BO7, 
Boone County, NE were recovered by John Champe during University of 
Nebraska salvage archeology. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on burial location and skeletal morphology, these individuals 
have been determined to be Native American. The location of this site 
is close to a Central Plains Tradition village site, these individuals 
are believed to be associated with the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1935, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from the Linwood site (25BU1), Butler County, NE by W.R. Wedel. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on recorded associated funerary objects and manner of 
interment, this individual has been determined to be Native American. 
W.R. Wedel described an excavation by the Nebraska Archeological Survey 
in which a ``flexed child burial'' was found, along with trade material 
including iron hoes, axes, fragments of copper kettles, and bits of 
brass and glass. The University of Nebraska has determined that these 
human remains are most likely from the described child's burial. 
Wedel's report concludes that the Linwood site (25BU1) is a Pawnee 
village ``very probably inhabited about the year 1800, and may date, in 
part, from a much earlier period.''
    At an unknown date, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from the Ashland site (25CC1), Cass County, NE under unknown 
circumstances. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on the condition of the human remains, museum records, and 
site information, this individual has been determined to be Native 
American, most likely from the Central Plains Tradition period. Based 
on material culture and site organization, the Ashland site (25CC1) has 
been identified as a multi-component site, including a Central Plains 
Tradition component.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing two individuals were 
recovered from the Rock Bluff site (25CC31[25CC0]) overlooking the 
Missouri River in southern Cass County, NE. No information is available 
as to how or when these remains came into University of Nebraska State 
Museum collections. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Between 1914 and 1968, the University conducted excavations at the 
nearby Walker Glimore site, during which these human remains were most 
likely collected. Archeological evidence from these excavations 
indicates the site is attributable to the Nebraska Culture of the 
Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1913, human remains representing 53 individuals from an ossuary 
(25CC9001) in Plattsmouth, NE were excavated by R.F. Gilder and others 
in an uncontrolled excavation following the discovery of the ossuary 
during a work project. No known individuals were identified. The 
associated funerary objects are 11 shell pendants or pendant fragments.
    Based on burial location and manner of interment, this ossuary has 
been attributed to the Nebraska Culture within the Central Plains 
Tradition.
    In 1934, human remains representing three individuals were 
excavated from Wiseman Village (25CD3) on the south bank of the 
Missouri River, Cedar County, NE under the direction of E.H. Bell of 
the University of Nebraska. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on ceramics and stone tool assemblages, the Wiseman Village 
site has been identified as probable St. Helena Phase occupation. The 
St. Helena Phase is a component of the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1934, human remains representing 137 individuals were recovered 
from Wiseman Mounds site (25CD4) under the direction of E.H. Bell of 
the University of Nebraska. No known individuals were identified. The 
two associated funerary objects are stone beads.
    Based on probable association with the Wiseman village site, the 
Wiseman Mounds have been identified as having a Central Plains 
Tradition component. Based on the apparent age of the remains, these 
individuals have been determined to be Native American dating to the 
Central Plains Tradition period.
    In 1941, human remains representing 200 individuals were recovered 
from Wynot Ossuary (25CD7), Cedar County, NE during excavations 
conducted by R.B. Cuming for the Nebraska State Archeological Survey. 
No known individuals were identified. The four associated funerary 
objects are shell beads.
    Based on ceramics and stone tool assemblages present in the fill, 
the Wynot Ossuary has been identified as in use during the St. Helena 
Phase [1425-1500 A.D.] of the Central Plains Tradition. Based on 
archeological context, these individuals have been identified as Native 
American.
    In 1978, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site 25CD13, Cedar County, NE by J.

[[Page 14755]]

Ludwickson of the University of Nebraska Department of Anthropology. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    Based on artifacts collected from the site, site 25CD13 has been 
identified as a Central Plains Tradition occupation. Based on 
archeological context and condition of the remains, this individual has 
been identified as Native American.
    In 1931, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from the Wolfe site (25CX2) near the mouth of Shell Creek, Colfax 
County, NE during excavations conducted by W.D. Strong and Waldo Wedel. 
No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, the Wolfe site has 
been identified as a Lower Loup period (1450-1550 A.D.) occupation of 
the Central Plains Tradition. Based on the dates for this site, this 
individual has been determined to be Native American.
    In 1939, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from the Bobier site (25DK1A), Dakota County, NE during University of 
Nebraska/W.P.A. excavations conducted by S. Bartos, Jr. under the 
supervision of H. Angelino. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects were present.
    In 1939, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from another part of the Bobier site (25DK1B), Dakota County, NE during 
excavations conducted by S. Bartos, Jr. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on material culture of the sites, the Bobier sites have been 
identified as a Nebraska Phase (1050-1425 A.D.) of the Central Plains 
Tradition. Based on the dates for these sites, these individuals have 
been determined to be Native American.
    In 1940, human remains representing 130 individuals were recovered 
from the Murphy Ossuary (25DK9), Dakota County, NE during excavations 
conducted by J. Champe. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on ceramics, stone tools, and burial pattern, the Murphy 
Ossuary has been identified as a St. Helena Phase (1425-1500 A.D.) 
occupation of the Central Plains Tradition. Based on the dates for this 
site, these individuals have been determined to be Native American.
    In 1941, human remains representing 292 individuals were recovered 
from the Maxwell site (25DK13) near Homer, NE during University of 
Nebraska/W.P.A. excavations conducted by L. Bartos, Jr. under the 
direction of John L. Champe and Paul Cooper. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on bone preservation and ceramic sherds in fill, the Maxwell 
site has been identified as a Central Plains Tradition occupation 
(1050-1500 A.D.). Based on archeological context and dates for this 
site, these individuals have been determined to be Native American.
    In 1941, human remains representing 16 individuals were recovered 
from an ossuary at the Hancock site (25DK14), Dakota County, NE during 
excavations conducted by S. Bartos, Jr. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblage, the Hancock site has 
been identified as a St. Helena Phase (1425-1500 A.D.) occupation of 
the Central Plains Tradition. Based on the dates for this site, these 
individuals have been determined to be Native American.
    Before 1909, human remains representing 11 individuals were 
recovered from the ``Watson House'' site (25DOO), Omaha, NE during 
excavations conducted by R.F. Gilder. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, the ``Watson House'' 
site has been identified as a Nebraska Phase (1050-1425 A.D.) 
occupation of the Central Plains Tradition. Based on the dates for this 
site, these individuals have been determined to be Native American.
    In 1913, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from site 25D0O (11-25-5-13) in Omaha, NE during house construction and 
donated to the University of Nebraska State Museum by R.H. Gilder. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on the condition of the remains and known archeological sites 
in this area, site 25DO0 (11-25-5-13) has been identified as a Nebraska 
Culture (1050-1425 A.D.) occupation of the Central Plains Tradition. 
Based on the probable dates for this site, these individuals have been 
determined to be Native American.
    In 1913, human remains representing one individual was excavated at 
13th and Missouri Streets (25DO?2), Omaha, NE by R.F. Gilder. These 
human remains became part of the Wallace collection and were donated to 
the University of Nebraska State Museum in 1913. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on the condition of the remains and the cultural material 
from this site, this burial has been determined to be Native American 
from the Nebraska Phase (1050-1425 A.D.) of the Central Plains 
Tradition.
    In 1906, human remains representing 42 individuals were collected 
from site 25DO26, Gilder's Mound, Long's Hill, NE by R.F. Gilder. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    This site is also known and the ``Loess Man'' site, due to the 
human remains being found in loess soil. Material culture collected 
from this site resemble Central Plains Tradition/Woodland materials on 
the basis of the poor to fair preservation. Based on the condition of 
the human remains and material culture from this site, these 
individuals have been determined to be Native American from the 
Nebraska Phase (1050-1425 A.D.) of the Central Plains Tradition.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing one individual were 
collected at site 25FR0, four miles north of the Riverton highlands, 
Franklin County, NE by an unknown individual. No known individual was 
identified. The four associated funerary objects are coils of brass 
wire.
    Based on the coils of brass wire and location of site 25FR0, this 
burial has been attributed to the historic Pawnee c.1750-1850 A.D.
    In 1983, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
in the Upper Republican midden layer of site 25FT145, Frontier County, 
NE during excavations in a habitation area directed by T. Myers. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on the ceramics recovered in the midden, site 25FT145 has 
been identified as an Upper Republican Culture occupation (950-1250 
A.D.) of the Central Plains Tradition.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from the Goodrich site (25GY21), Greeley County, NE by W.J. 
Hunt of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Based on material culture, the Goodrich site has been identified as 
a Central Plains Tradition (950-1450 A.D.) occupation. Based on the 
material culture of this site, this individual has been determined to 
be Native American.
    In 1930, human remains representing four individuals were recovered 
from the Graham Ossuary site (25HN5),

[[Page 14756]]

Harlan County, NE during excavations conducted by W. Wedel under the 
direction of W.D. Strong. No known individuals were identified. The 
minimum of 100 associated funerary objects include ceramic fragments, 
shell beads, bone beads, bracelets, copper ornaments, ceramics, and 
stone tools.
    Based on the material culture, the Graham site has been identified 
as a Upper Republican Phase occupation of the Central Plains Tradition. 
Based on the associated funerary objects, these individuals have been 
determined to be Native American.
    In 1978, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from the Schmidt site (25HW301), Howard County, NE by S. Holen and C. 
Roberts. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, the Schmidt site has 
been identified as a Central Plains Tradition occupation. Based on the 
archeological context, this individual has been determined to be Native 
American.
    During 1936-1938, human remains representing 15 individuals were 
recovered from the Ponca Fort site (25KX1), Knox County, NE during 
excavations conducted by the Nebraska State Archeological Survey under 
the direction of Perry Newell and S. Wimberly as part of WPA Official 
Project 165-81-8095, Work Project 3140. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on ceramics and stone tool assemblages, this portion of the 
Ponca Fort site has been identified as a Central Plains Tradition (950-
1250 A.D.) occupation. Based on archeological context, poor 
preservation of the remains, poor dental health, and evidence of severe 
arthritis in one individual, these individuals have been determined to 
be Native American from the pre-contact period.
    In 1961, human remains representing five individuals were recovered 
from site 25KX20, a small area of land extending into Lewis and Clark 
Lake near Crofton, NE during a survey conducted by P. Holder and R. 
Krause for the University of Nebraska Department of Anthropology. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    Based on ceramics and stone tools, site 25KX20 has been identified 
as a Central Plains Tradition occupation dating to between (1050-1500 
A.D.).
    In 1913, human remains representing three individuals were 
recovered from a small house ruin (25SY0/7-12-13) on a ridge near Mill 
Hollow in Sarpy County, NE by R.F. Gilder. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on material culture, site 25SY0 has been identified as a 
Nebraska Culture (1050-1425 A.D.) occupation of the Central Plains 
Tradition. Based on the dates for this site, these individuals have 
been identified as Native American.
    In 1914, human remains representing eight individuals were 
recovered from the Childs Point site (25SY0) overlooking the Missouri 
River in Sarpy County, NE under the direction of R.F. Gilder and were 
accessioned into the University of Nebraska State Museum. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present.
    Based on material culture, the Childs Point site has been 
identified as a Nebraska Phase (1050-1425 A.D.) occupation of the 
Central Plains Tradition. Based on the dates of this site, these 
individuals have been determined to be Native American.
    During 1908-1917, human remains representing 46 individuals from 
the Wallace Mound site (25SY67) were excavated under the direction of 
R.F. Gilder and accessioned into the University of Nebraska State 
Museum. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects were present.
    In 1913, human remains representing six individuals were removed 
from the Swoboda site (25SY67/31-8-14), part of the Wallace Mounds 
site, Sarpy County, NE and were secured by Miss Edith Dennett who 
donated these remains to the University of Nebraska State Museum in 
1914. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Based on the association with the Child's Point site, the Wallace 
Mound site has been identified as a Nebraska Culture (1050-1425 A.D.) 
occupation of the Central Plains Tradition. Based on the condition of 
the skeletal material, these individuals have been determined to be 
Native American.
    In 1938 and 1939, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from Cache Pit B of the Redbird site (25HT3), Holt County, NE 
during legally authorized excavations conducted by E. Bell for the 
W.P.A. Work Project 4841. No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on material culture and geographical location, the Redbird 
site has been identified as an Extended Coalescent Tradition site. 
Based on the archeological context, material culture, and manner of 
interment this individual has been identified as Native American. Based 
on ceramic evidence and development, the Extended Coalescent Tradition 
has been identified as ancestral to the present-day Pawnee.
    Based on continuities of ceramic decoration, stone tool form and 
function, architecture, chronology, mortuary custom, subsistence 
pattern, settlement pattern, and geographic location, the Central 
Plains Tradition is recognized by many anthropologists as ancestral to 
the present-day Pawnee and Arikara. Pawnee and Arikara oral traditions 
also indicate cultural affiliation between the earlier Central Plains 
Tradition and these present-day tribes.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the 
University of Nebraska have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains 
of 1,014 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
University of Nebraska have also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 
10.2 (d)(2), the approximately 121 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 University of Nebraska have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), 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 Pawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Pawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma, the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, 
and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. Representatives of any other 
Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with 
these human remains and associated funerary objects should contact Dr. 
Priscilla Grew, University of Nebraska, 302 Canfield Administration 
Building, Lincoln, NE 68588-0433; telephone: (402) 472-3123, before 
April 26, 1999. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma may begin after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma notified the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln by letter dated December 14, 1998 that the Tribe claims the 
human remains and associated funerary objects listed in this notice 
from the following sites: 25BD1; 25CD3; 25CD4; 25CD7; 25CD13; 25DK1A; 
25DK1B; 25DK9; 25DK14; 25HT3; 25KX1; 25KX20; 25SY0(7-12-

[[Page 14757]]

13); 25SY0; 25SY67; and 25SY67(31-8-14).
    The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations 
within this notice.
Dated: March 17, 1999.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 99-7500 Filed 3-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F