[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 76782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28003]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Nebraska State Historical 
Society, Lincoln, NE

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of Nebraska State Historical Society, 
Lincoln, NE. The human remains and cultural items were removed from the 
Oacama site, Lyman County, SD.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Nebraska 
State Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1951 and 1952, human remains representing a minimum of three 
individuals were removed from the Oacama site, Lyman County, SD, by Dr. 
Martin Kivett of the Nebraska State Historical Society. The site was on 
land that was probably private at the time that it was excavated. No 
known individuals were identified. The four associated funerary objects 
are two animal bones and two fragments of burned earth.
    The Oacama site was excavated by Dr. Kivett in 1951 and 1952. The 
investigation was completed in association with the Smithsonian River 
Basin Survey in the area of Chamberlain, SD. Oacama is a postcontact 
earthlodge village, which Dr. Kivett believes dates to the period A.D. 
1675-1725 (unpublished manuscript on file, Nebraska State Historical 
Society, 1958), and is most likely an Arikara village. The pottery 
recovered in association with the human remains is typical of that made 
by the Arikara, who occupied a number of villages in this area during 
the postcontact period. Cranial morphology also supports affiliation to 
the Arikara. The simple-stamped pottery noted by Dr. Kivett has not 
been located. The Arikara are today represented by the Three Affiliated 
Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota
    Officials of the Nebraska State Historical Society have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the Nebraska State Historical Society 
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the four 
objects described 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 Nebraska 
State Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be 
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort 
Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Rob Bozell, Associate Director, Nebraska State 
Historical Society, 1500 R Street, P.O. Box 82554, Lincoln, NE 68501-
2554, telephone 402-471-4789, before January 21, 2005. Repatriation of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Nebraska State Historical Society is responsible for notifying 
Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 3, 2004
Sherry Hutt, Manager
National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 04-28003 Filed 12-21-04; 8:45 am]
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