[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76864-76865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7886]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of 
Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

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 in the possession of the 
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, 
Norman, OK. The human remains were removed from Crittendon, 
Mississippi, and Poinsett Counties, AR.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Sam 
Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History and Oklahoma State 
Archeologist professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    In 1933, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from Cummin's Place, also called Cumming's Place 
(Arkansas-7/130 and 7/131), in Poinsett County, AR, by Frank Newkumet. 
Mr. Newkumet loaned the human remains to the Oklahoma Museum of Natural 
History (now the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History) from 
1933 until 1947. The museum purchased the collection from Mr. Newkumet 
in 1947. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present. A deer bone found with the human remains at 
Arkansas-7/130 was not located during the inventory process.
    In 1933, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from Upper Nodena Place (Arkansas-7/137 and 7/138) in 
Mississippi County, AR, by Frank Newkumet. Mr. Newkumet loaned the 
human remains to the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History from 1933 until 
1947. The museum purchased the collection from Mr. Newkumet in 1947. No 
known individuals were identified.

[[Page 76865]]

No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1959, human remains representing a minimum of three individuals 
were removed from the Banks site (Arkansas-31A) in Crittendon County, 
AR, by Greg Perino. Mr. Perino donated the human remains to the 
Oklahoma Museum of Natural History later that same year. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Diagnostic artifacts found at the Cummin's Place, Upper Nodena 
Place, and Banks sites indicate that the human remains are Native 
American and were probably buried during the Parkin phase of the 
Mississippian nucleation horizon (A.D. 1350-1650). The Parkin phase is 
characterized by Nodena leaf-shaped arrow points, Madison arrow points, 
pipe drills, chisels, adzes, use of basalt, conch shell beads, mushroom 
shaped beads, ear plugs, copper disks, discoidals, catlinite pipes, 
Parkin punctate and Barton incised pottery, Mississippian Plain 
pottery, effigy forms such as, head pots, compound vessels, and 
occasionally red and white Nodena ware. Although many of these types of 
artifacts were found at the sites, none of the artifacts besides the 
missing deer bone are considered associated funerary objects because 
they were not found in a burial context nor is there any other 
information that attests to their being from a burial context. Many of 
the Parkin phase artifact traits continued to be practiced by people 
later identified as Quapaw. European documentation concerning the 
geographical range of the Quapaw people supports their presence in the 
northeastern part of Arkansas. Present-day descendants of the Quapaw 
people are members of the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    Officials of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of seven individuals of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of 
Natural History also 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 the 
Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Ellen Censky, Director, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 
University of Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua, Norman, OK 73072, telephone 
(405) 325-4712, before January 27, 2006. Repatriation of the human 
remains to the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is responsible for 
notifying the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: December 3, 2005.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E5-7886 Filed 12-27-05; 8:45 am]
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