[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13162-13163]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3552]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, 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 and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Craighead 
County, 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 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 Gilcrease 
Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    Between 1964 and 1968, human remains representing a minimum of 161 
individuals were removed from the Charlie MacDuffie farm in Craighead 
County, AR, by avocational archeologist Frank Soday. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects were deeded by gift to the Gilcrease 
Museum in 1982 by the Soday Research Foundation. No known individuals 
were identified. The 16,783 associated funerary objects are 77 whole 
and restored ceramic vessels; 8,093 spindle whorls, clay beads, and pot 
sherds; 938 lithic flakes and tools, including projectile points, 
scrapers, drills, and burins; 327 fire-cracked rocks, hammerstones, 
celts, cores, and cobbles; 4,415 faunal bones and bone and antler 
tools; 2,407 mussel shells, shell fragments, and shell beads; 206 
turtle shells and shell fragments; 249 daub samples; 52 charcoal 
pieces; 7 wood and floral samples; and 12 mineral specimens. The 9,097 
unassociated funerary objects removed from the MacDuffie farm are 
described in an accompanying Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural 
Items.
    The Charlie MacDuffie site (3CG21) is located near the town of 
Lunsford in Craighead County, northeastern Arkansas. Excavation records 
indicate that the site consisted of a ``large village with two 
mounds.'' Non-destructive analysis indicates that the human remains are 
Native American. Cultural items associated with the human remains have 
been determined to date to the Middle Mississippian period (A.D. 1170-
1300). Oral history evidence presented by representatives of the Quapaw 
Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma indicates that the region has long been 
included in the traditional and hunting territory of the Quapaw. French 
colonial records from 1700 also indicate that the Quapaw were known 
then to be the only Native American group present in the St. Francis 
River valley region where the MacDuffie site is located. Based on the 
geographical location and the date of interment, the human remains are 
most likely to be culturally affiliated with the Quapaw Tribe of 
Indians, Oklahoma.
    Officials of the Gilcrease Museum have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the 
physical remains of 161 individuals of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Gilcrease Museum have also determined that, pursuant 
to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 16,783 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 Gilcrease Museum 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 Quapaw 
Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally

[[Page 13163]]

affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects 
should contact Randy Ramer, Curator of Anthropology, Gilcrease Museum, 
1400 Gilcrease Museum Road, Tulsa, OK 74127-2100, telephone (918) 596-
2743, before April 13, 2006. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Gilcrease Museum is responsible for notifying the Quapaw Tribe 
of Indians, Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 10, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-3552 Filed 3-13-06; 8:45 am]
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