[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 109 (Thursday, June 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34121-34123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13466]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12934; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Dallas Water Utilities, Dallas, 
TX

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

[[Page 34122]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Dallas Water Utilities has completed an inventory of human 
remains and associated funerary objects in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives 
of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in 
this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human 
remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request 
to Dallas Water Utilities. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian 
organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Dallas Water Utilities at the address in 
this notice by July 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Terry Hodgins, 405 Long Creek Road, Sunnyvale, TX 75182, 
telephone (214) 670-8658, email [email protected].

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 under the control of Dallas Water 
Utilities, Dallas, TX. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX.
    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 dart points. The National Park Service is 
not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by AR Consultants, Inc. and Dallas Water Utilities 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Caddo 
Nation of Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; and the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakoni).

History and Description of the Remains

    On September 22, 2011, human remains representing, at minimum, four 
individuals were removed from Lake Ray Hubbard in Dallas County, TX. 
The remains were exposed due to low lake levels resulting from a 
drought. Human skeletal remains and seven dart points were found near 
the area of an archaeological site 41DL8. The fisherman that found the 
remains reported their presence to the local police department. The 
Dallas Homicide Squad and a representative from the Dallas Medical 
Examiner's Office exhumed the remains. Initially determined to be 
animal remains, the exhumed skeletal elements were taken to the Medical 
Examiner's Office for identification, where they were determined to be 
human. Upon determination that the skeletal elements were human, Dallas 
Homicide and the Medical Examiner's representative returned to the 
scene and continued the exhumation until a dart point was encountered. 
Consultant Mark Ingraham, from the University of North Texas, removed 
additional remains from the site. Dallas Water Utilities contracted 
with AR Consultants, Inc. to complete the recovery of all bone 
fragments from the discovery site and insure that no further burials 
were in the immediate vicinity. AR Consultants, Inc. completed 
excavations and surveyed the shoreline to explore for the presence of 
any additional remains.
    Analysis of the human remains and associated funerary objects by AR 
Consultants, Inc. indicates that the remains are of Native American 
ancestry. Radiocarbon dating of the bone attributes the burials to the 
early Late Archaic Period, between 1380-1130 B.C. and 1120-930 B.C. 
Radiocarbon dating of two femora from separate individuals occurred 
with permission of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. Skeletal analysis 
showed that a minimum of four male individuals were present. All four 
males were interred in a single burial pit. The skeletal investigation 
determined the males were between 35-45 years old at the time of death. 
No known individuals were identified. The seven associated funerary 
objects are dart points removed from the burial pit. The points were 
inspected by several authorities on Texas lithics, and they concluded 
that the dart points probably date to the early Late Archaic, although 
a type could not be specified. The assemblage included two dart points 
made of Ogalalla quartzite, four of Edwards chert, and one of Johns 
Valley chert.
    Based on archeological, historical, and other information, there is 
a relationship of shared group identity between these remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakoni). 
Geographic affiliation is consistent with the historically documented 
territory of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and Caddo Nation. The 
associated funerary objects type is consistent with the Early Late 
Archaic when the site and area was occupied by the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes and the Caddo Nation. The Caddo Nation deferred all 
decisions regarding the human skeletal remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. Radiocarbon dates, 
obtained with permission from the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, of two 
femora dated to BC 1310-1000.

Determinations Made by the Dallas Water Utilities

    Officials of the Dallas Water Utilities and AR Consultants, Inc. 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of four individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the seven objects 
described in this notice 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 Caddo 
Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, 
Keechi, Waco & Tawakoni). The Caddo Nation of Oklahoma has deferred to 
the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of

[[Page 34123]]

the request to Terry Hodgins, 405 Long Creek Road, Sunnyvale, TX 75182, 
telephone (214) 670-8658, email [email protected], by 
July 8, 2013. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes may proceed.
    The Dallas Water Utilities is responsible for notifying the Caddo 
Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, 
Keechi, Waco & Tawakoni) that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 26, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-13466 Filed 6-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P