[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51141-51142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24475]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


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

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 an associated 
funerary object from South Dakota in the possession of 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 in 
consultation with representatives of the Three Affiliated Tribes of 
North Dakota.
    Between 1938 and 1954, human remains representing five individuals 
were recovered from the Mitchell Village and Mounds (39DV2) on the 
south bank of Firesteel Creek (now Lake Mitchell), Davison County, SD 
during excavations conducted by E.E. Meleen of the Smithsonian 
Institution, the Mitchell Lions Club, and the Works Progress 
Administration (WPA Project 3159); and a separate recovery in 1954 by 
Marvin Thome, Mitchell, SD. In 1998, four of these individuals were 
transferred from the W.H. Over Museum to SARC. Also in 1998, the 
individual recovered in 1954 was transferred from the University of 
Nebraska State Museum to SARC. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on manner of interment, these individuals have been 
identified as Native American. Based on architecture, artifact 
assemblage, radiocarbon dates, and ceramics from previous excavations, 
the Mitchell Village and Mounds have been identified as Initial Middle 
Missouri Tradition (900-1400 A.D.). Based on continuities of material 
culture, architecture, and skeletal morphology, in addition to oral 
tradition and historical evidence, the Mitchell Village and Mounds have 
been affiliated with the Mandan.
    During the early 1930s, human remains representing three 
individuals were recovered from an earthlodge cache pit in Twelve Mile 
Creek Village and Mounds (39HT1) on the north bank

[[Page 51142]]

of South Fork Twelve Mile Creek, Hutchinson County, SD during non-
professional excavations conducted by F. Robinson, Dr. J.J. Krall, and 
H. Hall, Tyndall, SD. These individuals were donated to F.C. Kratz, 
director of the Olivet Museum, and were later transferred to the 
University of South Dakota Museum-Vermillion (now the W.H. Over 
Museum). In 1997, these human remains were transfered to SARC. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1939, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from Twelve Mile Creek Village and Mounds (39HT1) on the north bank of 
South Fork Twelve Mile Creek, Hutchinson County, SD during WPA 
excavations conducted by E.E. Meleen, Smithsonian Institution, and W.H. 
Over, USD Museum. In 1998, these human remains were found in SARC 
collections. No known individuals were identified. The one associated 
funerary object is a coyote tooth.
    Based on the manner of interment and the associated funeary object, 
these individuals have been identified as Native American. Based on the 
architecture, material culture, radiocarbon dates, and ceramics from 
the 1930-1939 excavations, the Twelve Mile Village and Mounds have been 
dated to the Lower James Phase of the Initial Middle Missouri Tradition 
(900-1350 A.D.). Based on continuities of material culture, 
architecture, and skeletal morphology, in addition to oral tradition 
and historical evidence, the Twelve Mile Village and Mounds have been 
affiliated with the Mandan.
    In 1870, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara tribes were moved to the 
Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, and are now known 
collectively as the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the South 
Dakota State Archaeological Research Center have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above 
represent the physical remains of ten individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the South Dakota State Archaeological Research 
Center have also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 
one object 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 South 
Dakota State Archaeological Research Center 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 object and the Three Affiliated 
Tribes of North Dakota.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Three Affiliated 
Tribes of North Dakota. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
and associated funerary object 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 
October 21, 1999. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary object to the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota may 
begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: September 14, 1999.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 99-24475 Filed 9-20-99; 8:45 am]
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