[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50679-50680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24935]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, 
Natchitoches, LA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

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 Williamson Museum, Northwestern 
State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA, 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.

[[Page 50680]]

    The ten objects from the U.S. Fish Hatchery site, Natchitoches 
Parish, LA, are glass beads.
    These objects were removed in the 1930s, by George Williamson, a 
professor at Northwestern State University of Louisiana, during 
construction of the fish hatchery.
    Museum records indicate that these beads were removed from a grave; 
no remains from the grave are held in the museum. Glass beads date to 
the postcontact period (post-A.D. 1540) when this area was occupied by 
the Caddo Tribe.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the 
Williamson Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(2)(ii), these 10 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.
    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 unassociated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Pete Gregory, Director, Williamson Museum, 
Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA 71497, 
telephone (318) 357-8170, before November 5, 2001. Repatriation of 
these unassociated funerary objects to the Caddo Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.

    Dated: June 28, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-24935 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
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