[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77908-77909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31662]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service.


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, Baton 
Rouge, LA

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10(a)(3), of the intent to repatriate 
cultural items in the possession of the Louisiana State University 
Museum of Natural Science that meet the definition of ``unassociated 
funerary objects'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    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 
cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    Between 1936-1954, 18 unassociated funerary objects were removed 
during excavations at the Belcher Mounds Site (LSUMNS Site Number 
16CD013), Caddo Parish, LA, by Clarence H. Webb. Dr. Webb donated these 
objects as part of a larger collection to the Louisiana State 
University Museum of Natural Science in 1974. The unassociated objects 
include earthenware pottery, a decorated conch shell cup and other 
shell artifacts, a zoomorphic shell pendant, and a decorated platform 
pipe.
    The Belcher Site is a dual mound and habitation site that 
functioned as a ceremonial center and cemetery between circa A.D. 900-
1700. Twenty-four individuals were buried between circa A.D. 900 and 
1400, and 22

[[Page 77909]]

individuals were buried between circa A.D. 1500 and 1700. The mortuary 
practices and ceramic styles indicate affiliations with Caddoan 
culture.
    Between 1950-1952, two unassociated funerary objects were removed 
during excavations at the Mounds Plantation (LSUMNS Site Number 
16DC071/16DC02/16DC012), Caddo Parish, LA, by Clarence H. Webb. Dr. 
Webb donated these objects as part of a larger collection to the 
Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science in 1974. The 
objects consist of wood lath and decorated cane matting removed from 
the log tomb covering of ``Burial Pit 5.''
    Diagnostic pottery, mortuary customs, and other distinctive 
features indicate that ``Burial Pit 5'' in Mound 5 represents an 
intrusive Caddoan interment in an earlier Coles Creek Period mound. The 
logs of the tomb covering of ``Burial Pit 5'' were dated to circa A.D. 
1050-1475.
    In 1935, Clarence H. Webb removed three unassociated funerary 
objects during excavations at the Smithport Landing Site (LSUMNS Site 
Number 16DS004), De Soto Parish, LA. The same year, Dr. Webb donated 
these remains and objects to the Louisiana State University Museum of 
Natural History. The unassociated funerary objects consist of ceramic 
vessels.
    Smithport Landing is a non-mound burial site. The stylistic 
attributes of the associated funerary objects date the burials to circa 
A.D. 1000-1300. They also indicate that the cultural affiliations with 
the interred are with Caddo Indians.
    In 1936, four unassociated funerary objects were removed from an 
unknown location in Lincoln Parish, LA. These were donated to the 
Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science by Hubert Smith in 
1937. The unassociated funerary objects consist of three vessels and a 
pipe fragment. Though precise provenience locations are lacking and the 
vessels do not differ significantly from utilitarian wares, Mr. Smith's 
habits as a pothunter strongly suggest that they were taken from burial 
contexts.
    Stylistic attributes of the pottery date them to circa A.D. 1400-
1600, and are diagnostic of Caddoan culture.
    In 1936 or 1937, four unassociated funerary objects were removed 
during excavations at the Allen Place Site (LSUMNS Site Number 
16NA004), Natchitoches Parish, LA, by James Ford. Dr. Ford donated the 
objects to the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science in 
the late 1930's. The unassociated funerary objects consist of four 
ceramic vessels.
    Stylistic attributes of these vessels and the presence of 
Euroamerican objects found with burials excavated by Dr. Ford but not 
donated to this museum suggest that the Allen Place Site was utilized 
during the historic period.
    In 1939, two unassociated funerary objects were removed during 
excavations at the Gahagan Mounds Site (LSUMNS Site Number 16RR001), in 
Red River Parish, Louisiana by Clarence H. Webb. Dr. Webb donated these 
objects to the Louisiana State Museum of Natural Science in 1974 as 
part of a larger collection. The two objects were recovered from 
``Burial Pit #3,'' and consist of a Holly Engraved bottle and one 
fragmented blade, possibly a Gahagan.
    Mortuary practices and stylistic attributes of the unassociated 
funerary objects indicate that the Gahagan Mound Site was utilized 
circa A.D. 900-1200.
    Historical evidence and oral history indicate that northwest 
Louisiana is part of the traditional territory of the Caddo people. 
Archeological evidence indicates that settlements within this region 
exhibit a cultural continuity dating to circa A.D. 900 and continued 
into the historic period. In the historic period these stylistic 
attributes are associated with the Caddo people. Based on 
archeological, historical and oral history evidence, the six sites 
reported above are identified with the Caddo people.
    Officials of the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural 
Science have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(2)(ii), these 
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 a Native 
American individual. Officials of the Louisiana State University Museum 
of Natural Science also 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 cultural items and the Caddo Indian 
Tribe of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Caddo Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these cultural items should 
contact Dr. Rebecca Saunders, Assistant Curator of Anthropology, 
Louisiana State Museum of Natural Science, 119 Foster Hall, Baton 
Rouge, LA 70803, telephone (225) 578-6562, before January 12, 2001. 
Repatriation of the cultural items to the Caddo Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.

    Dated: November 30, 2000.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources, Stewardship, and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 00-31662 Filed 12-12-00; 8:45 am]
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