[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57845-57847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23125]


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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, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American

[[Page 57846]]

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.
     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.
    This notice replaces, in part, information that was reported in a 
Notice of Inventory Completion published March 26, 1999 (Federal 
Register volume 64, number 58, pages 14754-14757) to reflect the 
resolution of a conflicting claim.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by University 
of Nebraska professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.
    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 are 
present. This individual has been identified as Native American. Based 
on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, site 25BF1 has been identified 
as a Loup River Phase (Itskari Phase) occupation dating to between A.D. 
1250-1450.
    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. These individuals have been 
identified as Native American. The location of this site is close to a 
Central Plains Tradition village site, and 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. This individual has been identified as 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. These human remains are most likely from the described 
child's burial. Wedel reports 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.'' The iron hoes, axes, fragments of 
copper kettles, and bits of brass and glass are not in the possession 
or control of the University of Nebraska.
    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. This individual has been identified as 
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. These individuals have been identified as 
Native American. 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 phase of 
the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1913, human remains representing 53 individuals from an ossuary 
(25CC9001) in Plattsmouth, Cass County, 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. These individuals have been identified as Native 
American. Based on burial location and manner of interment, this 
ossuary has been attributed to the Nebraska phase within the Central 
Plains Tradition.
    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. This individual has been identified as Native 
American. Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, the Wolfe site 
has been identified as a Lower Loup period (A.D. 1450-1550) occupation 
of the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1941, human remains representing 292 individuals were recovered 
from the Maxwell site (25DK13) near Homer, Dakota County, 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. The 44 associated funerary objects consist 
of 39 shell, bone, and stone beads, 3 shell pendants, and 2 teeth 
pendants. These individuals have been identified as Native American. 
Based on bone preservation and ceramic sherds in fill, the Maxwell site 
has been identified as a Central Plains Tradition occupation (A.D. 
1050-1500).
    Before 1909, human remains representing 11 individuals were 
recovered from the ``Watson House'' site (25DO0), Omaha, Dodge County, 
NE, during excavations conducted by R.F. Gilder. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present. These 
individuals have been identified as Native American. Based on ceramic 
and stone tool assemblages, the ``Watson House'' site has been 
identified as a Nebraska Phase (A.D. 1050-1425) occupation of the 
Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1913, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from site 25DO0 (11-25-5-13) in Omaha, Dodge County, 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. These individuals have been identified as 
Native American. 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 phase (A.D. 1050-1425) occupation of the 
Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1913, human remains representing one individual were excavated 
at 13th and Missouri Streets (25DO?2), Omaha, Dodge County, 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. This individual has been identified as Native American. Based 
on the condition of the remains and the cultural material from this 
site,

[[Page 57847]]

this burial has been determined to be from the Nebraska phase (A.D. 
1050-1425) of the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1906, human remains representing 42 individuals were collected 
from site 25DO26, Gilder's Mound, Long's Hill, Dodge County, NE, by 
R.F. Gilder. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present. This site is also known as the ``Loess 
Man'' site, because the human remains were found in loess soil. 
Material culture collected from this site resembles Central Plains 
Tradition/Woodland materials based on their poor to fair preservation. 
These individuals have been identified as Native American from the 
Nebraska phase (A.D. 1050-1425) 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 associated funerary objects are four coils of brass 
wire. This individual has been identified as Native American. Based on 
the coils of brass wire and location of site 25FR0, this burial has 
been attributed to the historic Pawnee ca. A.D. 1750-1850.
    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. This individual has been identified as Native American. Based 
on the ceramics recovered in the midden, site 25FT145 has been 
identified as an Upper Republican Culture occupation (A.D. 950-1250) 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. This individual has been identified as Native 
American. Based on material culture, the Goodrich site has been 
identified as a Central Plains Tradition (A.D. 950-1450) occupation.
    In 1930, human remains representing four individuals were recovered 
from the Graham Ossuary site (25HN5), Harlan County, NE, during 
excavations conducted by W. Wedel under thedirection 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. These 
individuals have been identified as Native American. Based on the 
material culture, the Graham site has been identified as an Upper 
Republican phase occupation of the Central Plains Tradition.
    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. This individual has been identified as Native 
American. Based on ceramic and stone tool assemblages, the Schmidt site 
has been identified as a Central Plains Tradition occupation.
    In 1937, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from the Hogan site (25KX5), Knox County, NE, by P. Newell for the 
Nebraska Archaeological Survey under W.P.A. Official Project Number 
165-81-8095 Work Project 3140. One burial pit was found. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present. 
This individual has been identified as Native American. Based on poor 
preservation, the remains are attributed to the Central Plains 
Tradition.
    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 436 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
University of Nebraska also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 
10.2 (d)(2), the 159 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 Nation of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, 
North Dakota; and Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco 
& Tawakonie), Oklahoma. 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, 
Department of Geosciences, 301 Bessey Hall, University of Nebraska, 
Lincoln, NE 68588-0340, telephone (402) 472-7854, before October 15, 
2002. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
to the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: July 19, 2002.
C. Timothy McKeown,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-23125 Filed 9-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S