[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57847-57849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23137]


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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 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.

[[Page 57848]]

    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 and the Ponca Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma.
     In 1959, human remains representing five individuals were 
recovered from site 25BD1 overlooking Ponca Creek, Boyd County, NE, 
during excavations conducted under the direction of T. Witty. 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, site 25BD1 has been 
identified as an Initial Coalescent occupation dated to circa A.D. 1400 
and is believed to be associated with the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1934, human remains representing three individuals were 
excavated from Wiseman Village (25CD3) on the south bank of the 
Missouri River, Cedar County, NE, under the direction of E.H. Bell of 
the University of Nebraska. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present. These individuals have been 
identified as Native American. Based on ceramics and stone tool 
assemblages, the Wiseman Village site has been identified as probable 
St. Helena Phase occupation. The St. Helena Phase is a component of the 
Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1934, human remains representing 137 individuals were recovered 
from Wiseman Mounds site (25CD4) in Cedar County, NE, under the 
direction of E.H. Bell of the University of Nebraska. No known 
individuals were identified. The 58 associated funerary objects consist 
of 1 pot, 1 stone knife, 1 stone pipe, 1 shell needle, 43 disc beads, 5 
cylindrical beads, and 6 worked and unworked shells. These individuals 
have been identified as Native American. Based on probable association 
with the Wiseman Village site, the Wiseman Mounds site has been 
identified as having a Central Plains Tradition component.
    In 1941, human remains representing 200 individuals were recovered 
from Wynot Ossuary (25CD7), Cedar County, NE, during excavations 
conducted by R.B. Cuming for the Nebraska State Archeological Survey. 
No known individuals were identified. The four associated funerary 
objects are shell beads. These individuals have been identified as 
Native American. Based on ceramics and stone tool assemblages present 
in the fill, the Wynot Ossuary has been identified as being used during 
the St. Helena Phase (A.D. 1425-1500) of the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1978, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site 25CD13, Cedar County, NE, by J. Ludwickson of the University 
of Nebraska Department of Anthropology. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. This individual 
has been identified as Native American. Based on artifacts collected 
from the site, site 25CD13 has been identified as a Central Plains 
Tradition occupation.
    In 1939, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from the Bobier site (25DK1A), Dakota County, NE, during University of 
Nebraska/W.P.A. excavations conducted by S. Bartos, Jr., under the 
supervision of H. Angelino. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1939, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from another part of the Bobier site (25DK1B), Dakota County, NE, 
during excavations conducted by S. Bartos, Jr. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. These 
individuals have been identified as Native American. Based on material 
culture of the sites, the Bobier sites have been identified as a 
Nebraska Phase (A.D. 1050-1425) of the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1940, human remains representing 130 individuals were recovered 
from the Murphy Ossuary (25DK9), Dakota County, NE, during excavations 
conducted by J. Champe. No known individuals were identified. The eight 
associated funerary objects consist of one bone needle and seven shell 
disc beads. These individuals have been identified as Native American. 
Based on ceramics, stone tools, and burial pattern, the Murphy Ossuary 
has been identified as a St. Helena Phase (A.D. 1425-1500) occupation 
of the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1941, human remains representing 16 individuals were recovered 
from an ossuary at the Hancock site (25DK14), Dakota County, NE, during 
excavations conducted by S. Bartos, Jr. 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 assemblage, the Hancock site has been identified as a 
St. Helena Phase (A.D. 1425-1500) occupation of the Central Plains 
Tradition.
    In 1938 and 1939, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from Cache Pit B of the Redbird site (25HT3), Holt County, 
NE, during legally authorized excavations conducted by E. Bell for the 
W.P.A. Work Project 4841. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present. This individual has been 
identified as Native American. Based on material culture and 
geographical location, the Redbird site has been identified as an 
Extended Coalescent Tradition site. Based on ceramic evidence and 
development, the Extended Coalescent Tradition has been identified as 
ancestral to the present-day Pawnee.
    During 1936-1938, human remains representing 15 individuals were 
recovered from the Ponca Fort site (25KX1), Knox County, NE, during 
excavations conducted by the Nebraska State Archeological Survey under 
the direction of Perry Newell and S. Wimberly as part of WPA Official 
Project 165-81-8095, Work Project 3140. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. These 
individuals have been identified as Native American. Based on ceramics 
and stone tool assemblages, this portion of the Ponca Fort site has 
been identified as a Central Plains Tradition (A.D. 950-1250) 
occupation.
    During 1936-1937, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from the Minoric 1 site 25KX2, Knox County, NE, during 
excavations conducted by the Nebraska State Archeological Survey under 
the direction of H. Angelino as part of WPA Official Project 165-81-
8095, Work Project 3140. The site is part of a village (25KX9) and is 
located 500 yards west of 25KX1. No known individuals were identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present. This individual has been 
identified as Native American. This site has been classified as Proto-
historic/historic: Redbird focus village complex. Redbird is associated 
with the prehistoric (Extended Coalescent) period. There is also a 
historic Ponca component at 25KX9 (Holen 1995).
    In 1961, human remains representing five individuals were recovered 
from site 25KX20, a small area of land extending into Lewis and Clark 
Lake near Crofton, Knox County, NE, during a survey conducted by P. 
Holder and R. Krause for the University of Nebraska Department of 
Anthropology. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present. These individuals have been identified as 
Native American. Based on ceramics and stone tools, site 25KX20 has 
been identified as a Central Plains Tradition occupation dating to 
(A.D. 1050-1500).
    In 1913, human remains representing three individuals were 
recovered from a small house ruin (25SY0/7-12-13) on a ridge near Mill 
Hollow in Sarpy County, NE, by R.F. Gilder. No known individuals were 
identified. No

[[Page 57849]]

associated funerary objects are present. These individuals have been 
identified as Native American. Based on material culture, site 25SY0 
has been identified as a Nebraska phase (A.D. 1050-1425) occupation of 
the Central Plains Tradition.
    In 1914, human remains representing nine individuals were recovered 
from the Childs Point site (25SY0) overlooking the Missouri River in 
Sarpy County, NE, under the direction of R.F. Gilder and were 
accessioned into the University of Nebraska State Museum. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present. These individuals have been identified as Native American. 
Based on material culture, the Childs Point site has been identified as 
a Nebraska phase (A.D. 1050-1425) occupation of the Central Plains 
Tradition.
    During 1908-1917, human remains representing 49 individuals were 
removed from the Wallace Mound site (25SY67) in Sarpy County, NE, under 
the direction of R.F. Gilder and accessioned into the University of 
Nebraska State Museum. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1913, human remains representing six individuals were removed 
from the Swoboda site (25SY67/31-8-14), part of the Wallace Mounds 
site, Sarpy County, NE, and were secured by Miss Edith Dennett who 
donated these remains to the University of Nebraska State Museum in 
1914. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present. These individuals have been identified as Native 
American. Based on the association with the Child's Point site, the 
Wallace Mound site has been identified as a Nebraska phase (A.D. 1050-
1425) occupation of 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 geographic area, oral traditions, and scholarly research, 
the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the Ponca Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma report that the homelands of their peoples once encompassed an 
area that includes Cedar, Dakota, Holt, Knox, and other counties in 
north-central and northeastern Nebraska, where their ancestors lived, 
died and were buried. They state that geographic area, oral traditions, 
and scholarly research confirm a relationship of shared group identity 
between the individuals and funerary objects listed above and the 
Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.
    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 584 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
University of Nebraska also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 
10.2 (d)(2), the 70 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 that can be 
reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the 
Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.
     This notice has been sent to officials of the Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Ponca Tribe of Indians 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 and the Ponca Tribe of Indians 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. 02-23137 Filed 9-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S