[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48536-48538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19930]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-10863; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Logan Museum of Anthropology, 
Beloit College, Beloit, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College, has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and a present-day Indian tribe. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects may contact the Logan Museum of Anthropology. Repatriation of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribe 
stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact the Logan Museum of Anthropology at the address 
below by September 13, 2012.

ADDRESSES: William Green, Director, Logan Museum of Anthropology, 
Beloit College, Beloit, WI 53511, telephone (608) 363-2119.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 Logan Museum of 
Anthropology, Beloit College, Beloit, WI. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from several locations in 
North and South Dakota.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Logan 
Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College, professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the 
Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota (Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara 
Nation).

History and Description of the Remains

    From 1929 through 1931, the Logan Museum sponsored archaeological 
and ethnological fieldwork in North and South Dakota. Alfred W. Bowers, 
a graduate student at the University of Chicago and recent graduate of 
Beloit College, conducted the fieldwork. His goal was to understand the 
histories of and relationships among the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara 
Indians. Bowers' Ph.D. dissertation in 1948 and subsequent publications 
were based in large part on the material and information he collected 
during his Logan-supported expeditions. Parts of the collection from 
his work are in the possession of the Logan Museum. Other parts of the 
collection are in the possession of the Illinois State Museum and 
Indiana University Bloomington.
    In 1929, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed by Bowers from the Larson site (32BL9), in Burleigh 
County, ND. Larson is a large earthlodge village site identified as the 
location of an ancestral Mandan village, and dated to the 16th and 
early 17th centuries. The remains are a cranium and mandible catalogued 
as Burial 5. Bowers reported that Burial 5 represented the remains of a 
female 25-30 years of age. A more recent examination indicates the 
individual was a male, aged 50-59, and is consistent with Mandan 
cranial morphology. No known individuals were identified. Bowers 
identified two funerary objects associated with Burial 5 as a bone 
squash knife and a bison scapula hoe, however the location of these 
objects in the museum's collection is unknown.
    In 1929, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed by Bowers from a site he called ``Big Turtle,'' likely 
near Golden Valley, in Mercer County, ND (possibly site 32MEX281). 
Bowers excavated two burials in the center of a boulder outline in the 
shape of a turtle. One of the burials included an elk antler wristlet. 
The remains are two skulls. No known individuals were identified. The 
one associated funerary object is an engraved armband or wristband that 
appears to be made of elk antler. Bowers identified the remains as 
Mandan, which is consistent with Mandan cranial morphology. In view of 
the significance of turtle boulder effigies to the Hidatsa as well as 
the Mandan, the site's location in a region used by both groups, and 
the close relationship in the post-contact era between the two groups, 
the remains might also have a Hidatsa affiliation.
    In 1929, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed by Bowers at the Motsiff site (32MO29), near Mandan, in 
Morton County, ND. Motsiff is a large earthlodge village site occupied 
principally in the 18th century. It is associated with the Heart River 
complex and continues the cultural traditions of earlier Mandan sites. 
The remains are those of a male and a female both aged 25-29. No known 
individuals were identified. Collection notes indicate three associated 
funerary objects were collected, including a squash knife, a scapula 
hoe, and the base of a pottery vessel associated with the female 
individual, however the location of these objects within the museum's 
collection is unknown.
    In 1930, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed by Bowers from the Lower Sanger site (32OL11), near 
Sanger, in Oliver County, ND. The remains are those of an adult male, 
three adult females, and a sub-adult, possibly female. No known 
individuals were identified. The eleven associated funerary objects are 
four bone awls associated with the sub-adult individual, and seven 
shell beads associated with one of the adult females. One adult male 
had two projectile points embedded in his vertebrae. These points are 
considered part of the human remains and not funerary objects. 
Archaeological evidence indicates Lower Sanger is the site of a 17th 
century Mandan community.
    In 1929, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual, 
were removed by Bowers at the Greenshield site (32OL17), near Hensler, 
in Oliver County, ND. The remains are those of a child aged 6-18 
months. No known individual was identified. One

[[Page 48537]]

associated funerary object is a woven grass mat. Human remains from 
this same site are in the possession of Indiana University Bloomington, 
while 36 associated funerary objects for those human remains are in the 
possession of the Logan Museum of Anthropology. The objects are 1 shell 
pendant, 11 cuprous (copper-based metal) coils, 1 cuprous C-shaped 
bracelet, 1 dog bone pendant, 1 wooden bowl, 1 lot of leather pieces, 1 
horse effigy catlinite pipe, 2 bone whistles, 1 gun flint, 1 cuprous 
hair ornament, 1 tubular pipe, 1 bone arrow shaft wrench, 1 metal awl, 
1 metal arrowhead, 1 medicine bag, 5 white glass beads, 1 bear claw 
necklace, 1 pottery vessel base, and 3 metal fishhooks. Historical and 
archaeological evidence indicates the Greenshield site is the location 
of an Arikara village of the late 1790s, built upon an earlier Mandan 
village.
    In 1929, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed by Bowers from the Van Oosting or Hensler site (32OL18), 
near Hensler, in Oliver County, ND. The remains are those of four sub-
adults and one adult, possibly a female. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The Van 
Oosting/Hensler site has been identified, on the basis of 
archaeological evidence and oral tradition, as the site of a pre-18th 
century Mandan community.
    Between 1930 and 1931, human remains representing, at minimum, 
seven individuals were removed by Bowers from the Sully site (39SL4), 
in Sully County, SD. The remains are those of one infant, three 
juveniles, and three adult males. No known individuals were identified. 
The 13 associated funerary objects are 6 shell beads, 1 shell pendant, 
1 stone pendant, and 5 bone beads associated with one of the adult 
remains. Sully is considered to have been the largest earthlodge 
village in the Middle Missouri subarea. The site was occupied from 
about A.D. 1550 to 1725 and is identified as the likely location of an 
Arikara village.
    In 1930, human remains representing, at minimum, eleven individuals 
were removed by Bowers from a location variously referred to as Pierre 
Mound, Pierre Mounds, or Pierre Mound Group and recorded by later 
investigators as the ``Bleached Bone'' site (39HU48), in Hughes County, 
SD. Bowers excavated a previously looted mound at this site, recovering 
human remains of seven adult males, three adult females, and one 
unidentified individual. No known individuals were identified. The 
associated funerary object is a pottery vessel. The vessel is 
assignable to the Initial Coalescent variant, which is ancestral to the 
Arikara.
    In 1931, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed by Bowers from the Cheyenne River site (39ST1), located 
near the mouth of the Cheyenne River in Stanley County, SD. The remains 
are those of two adult females. No known individuals were identified. 
The four associated funerary objects are bison-rib arrowshaft wrenches 
or polishers that were associated with one of the individuals. The 
remains were found in a part of the site characterized by an 18th 
century Arikara component.
    Sometime between 1929 and 1931, human remains representing, at 
minimum, six individuals were removed by Bowers in the Grand River 
region, SD. The specific site location is unknown, but the most likely 
location is the Sully site (39SL4), an Arikara site in Sully County, 
SD. The remains are those of four adult males and two adult females. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present. The remains are identified in museum records as Arikara. 
Morphologically, the remains are consistent with Arikara for two 
individuals and with Mandan for three individuals, and are undiagnostic 
for one individual.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed by Bowers from an unknown location. The remains 
are those of one child, identified in museum records as an ``Arikara 
bundle burial.'' Bowers excavated several Arikara child burials at the 
Greenshield site (32OL17), but the associated funerary objects for this 
burial do not match Bowers records. This burial may have been removed 
from one of the Arikara sites Bowers excavated in South Dakota. No 
known individuals were identified. The 773 associated funerary objects 
are 1 set of woven textiles, 1 set of charcoal fragments, 10 wood 
fragments, 1 set of plant parts, 1 corn cob, 1 partly fused group of 
iron objects (possibly knife blades), 1 angled iron object, 1 chert 
flake, 1 hide fragment, 1 piece of vermilion, and 754 blue glass beads 
which date from the late 18th century to the mid-19th century.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed by Bowers from an unknown location in North 
Dakota. The remains are identified in museum records as ``Arikara, 
North Dakota,'' with no other information. The individual was most 
likely removed from the Greenshield site (32OL17), the only Arikara 
site Bowers excavated in North Dakota. The remains are those of a male, 
aged 14-15 years. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed by Bowers from an unknown location. The 
remains are each catalogued separately as Arikara, Arikara-Mandan (and 
exhibiting morphology of mixed Native American and non-Native American 
background), and unidentified but housed along with remains which are 
Arikara or Mandan. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown location. The remains are 
catalogued as Mandan and are likely derived from Bowers' work at a 
Mandan site in North or South Dakota. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College

    Officials of the Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College, have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of 48 individuals of Native 
American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 840 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.
     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 
(Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation).

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact William Green, Director, Logan Museum of 
Anthropology, Beloit College, Beloit, WI 53511, telephone (608) 363-
2119, before September 13, 2012. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort 
Berthold Reservation, North Dakota (Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation) may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

[[Page 48538]]

    The Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College, is responsible 
for notifying the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota (Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation) that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: July 16, 2012.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-19930 Filed 8-13-12; 8:45 am]
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