[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54078-54079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18084]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Missouri-Columbia, 
Museum of Anthropology, Columbia, MO

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 the University of Missouri-Columbia, 
Museum of Anthropology, Columbia, MO. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Vernon County, MO.
    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 the 
University of Missouri-Columbia, Museum of Anthropology professional 
staff in consultation with the Osage Tribe, Oklahoma.
    In 1963, human remains representing a minimum of three individuals 
were removed from the Brown site (23VE3), Vernon County, MO, during 
excavations conducted by University of Missouri-Columbia professional 
staff and supervised field school students. Other excavations at the 
site did not produce any evidence of human remains or burial areas. No 
known individuals were identified. The 237 associated funerary objects 
are identified as 200 faunal bones, 3 pottery fragments, 1 brass 
tinkler, 2 glass fragments, 14 metal fragments that include kettle 
parts, 1 brass trigger guard, 1 iron screw, 2 glass beads, 4 sandstone 
abraders (2 conical), 1 hematite fragment, and 8 chert scrapers/
modified spalls.
    The analysis sheet lists the following artifacts associated with 
this provenience and catalog number that to date have not been located: 
1 deer antler tool, 2 arrow point fragments or gun flints, 1 scraper, 1 
sandstone mold, and 4 pieces of debitage (4 flakes).
    Based on oral tradition, types of associated funerary objects, and

[[Page 54079]]

historical documents, the human remains have been determined to be 
Native American. Based on oral tradition, archeological evidence, 
presence of trade objects, and historical documents, the Brown site has 
been identified as a Great Osage village of the Great Osage tribe with 
occupation approximately A.D. 1675 to A.D. 1777. The federally 
recognized Osage Tribe, Oklahoma are the present-day descendants of the 
Great Osage tribe.
    Officials of the University of Missouri-Columbia, Museum of 
Anthropology 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 
University of Missouri-Columbia, Museum of Anthropology also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 237 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 University of 
Missouri-Columbia, Museum of Anthropology 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 Osage Tribe, 
Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Michael O'Brien, Director, Museum of 
Anthropology, 317 Lowry Hall, University of Missouri-Columbia, 
Columbia, MO 65211, telephone (573) 882-4421, before October 13, 2005. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Osage Tribe, Oklahoma may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    University of Missouri-Columbia, Museum of Anthropology is 
responsible for notifying the Osage Tribe, Oklahoma that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: August 3, 2005
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 05-18084 Filed 9-12-05; 8:45 am]
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