[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55045-55046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23383]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects from Polk County, IA, in the Possession 
of the Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, Iowa 
City, IA and the State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

    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 the Office of State 
Archaeologist, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, and an inventory of 
human remains and associated funerary objects in the possession of the 
State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Office 
of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, professional staff and 
the State Historical Society of Iowa professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in 
Iowa, Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, and the 
Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma. A detailed assessment of the funerary 
objects was made by the State Historical Society of Iowa professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Sac and Fox Tribe of 
the Mississippi in Iowa, Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and 
Nebraska, and the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma.
    In 1904, human remains representing two individuals were excavated 
by staff of the Iowa Historical Department, now the State Historical 
Society of Iowa, from site 13PK54 located near the Chesterfield School 
in Des Moines, Polk County, IA. One set of human remains consists of a 
single cranium and the other set of human remains is a lock of hair. In 
the early 1980's, the skeletal remains were transferred to the Office 
of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, and the hair is in the 
State Historical Society of Iowa collections. No known individuals were 
identified.
    The 3,081 associated funerary objects in the possession of the 
State Historical Society of Iowa include 200 tubular shell beads, 900 
red-brown glass seed beads, 90 large clear faceted glass beads, 42 pink 
glass seed beads, 4 red glass seed beads, 1,100 white glass seed beads, 
16 large blue faceted glass beads, 41 blue glass seed beads, 600 gray 
and white glass seed beads, 30 brass ball and cone hair ornaments, 5 
brass ball and cone hair ornaments attached to human hair, 4 lacquered 
paper-mache snuff box parts, 1 preserved clump of snuff or tobacco, a 
fragment of bead ornament strung on copper wire, a copper wire-wrapped 
ornament, 8 copper bracelets, a copper alloy brooch/blanket pin, 6 iron 
cut nails, a bronze-handled and iron-bladed knife, 9 brass hawk bells, 
3 brass buttons, a vial containing vermilion, a yellow ochre sample, 2 
silk cloth remnants, and 14 wool cloth remnants.
    Site 13PK54, located near the Chesterfield School in Des Moines, 
was a village and cemetery. The burials at this site were first found 
by A.A. Bennett, who unearthed 14 graves during sand quarrying 
operations. Mr. Bennett notified T. Van Hyning, of the Iowa Historical 
Museum, who proceeded to identify and excavate nine additional graves. 
The available documentation of the excavations is limited to an 
extensive interview of Mr. Van Hyning published in the Des Moines 
Register and Leader on March 26, 1905. Mr. Van Hyning collected three 
human skulls and a variety of associated funerary objects including 
glass beads, a bronze-handled iron-bladed knife, brass and copper 
ornaments, textile remnants, iron cut nails, and two paper-mache snuff 
boxes. While the newspaper and the 1905 annual report of the Iowa 
Historical Department mention three skulls, only one was accessioned 
into the museum collection. Only one was located in the early 1980's 
when the museum was analyzing human remains prior to transfer to the 
Office of the State Archaeologist for reburial under the state's burial 
protection act of 1976. It is not known what happened to the other two 
skulls.
    Research into this site and collection was initiated in 1983. The 
associated funerary objects conclusively indicate an historic period 
burial. The style of the cut iron nails would date to the 1790's, at 
the earliest, and is consistent with types made circa 1805-1850. The

[[Page 55046]]

Sac and Fox Indian Agency, known as the Raccoon River Indian Agency, 
was located in the vicinity of this site from 1843-1845. Kathryn E.M. 
Gourley, in a 1985 report entitled ``The Raccoon River Indian Agency: 
Predicted Site Locations,'' concluded that site 13PK54 was ``within or 
near the village tentatively assigned to Wishecomaque.'' The 
identification of this site is based on historical documents, including 
military records, Indian agents' reports, local records, and original 
land survey reports. The types of objects are within the range of 
materials carried by traders authorized to provide goods to the Sac and 
Fox (Meskwaki) during this period. Based on the historical record, 
geographic location, and archeological evidence, it is reasonable to 
conclude that these remains and associated funerary objects are 
associated with the Sac and Fox (Meskwaki).
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Office 
of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above 
represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the State Historical Society of Iowa also have 
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 3,081 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. Also, officials of the Office of the State 
Archaeologist, University of Iowa, and the State Historical Society of 
Iowa have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between these Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects and the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, Sac and 
Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, and the Sac and Fox 
Nation of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Sac and Fox Tribe of 
the Mississippi in Iowa, Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and 
Nebraska, and the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma. Representatives of 
any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with these human remains and associated funerary objects should contact 
Shirley Schermer, Burials Program Director, Office of the State 
Archaeologist, Eastlawn, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, 
telephone (319) 384-0732, or Jerome Thompson, State Historical Society 
of Iowa, New Historical Building, 600 East Locust, Des Moines, IA 
50319-0290, telephone (515) 281-4221, before October 12, 2000. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, Sac and Fox Nation of 
Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, and the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma 
may begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: August 23, 2000.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships
[FR Doc. 00-23383 Filed 9-11-00 ; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F