[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2864-2866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00752]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-14619; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
Little Rock District, Little Rock, AR

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District (Little 
Rock District) 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 the 
Little Rock District. 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 Little Rock District at the address in 
this notice by February 18, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Mr. Rodney Parker, District Archaeologist, U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, Little Rock District, P.O. Box 867, Little Rock, AR 
72203, telephone (501) 324-5752, 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 the Little Rock 
District and in the physical custody of the University of Arkansas, 
Fayetteville. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Millwood Lake, in Howard, Little River, and Sevier 
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 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 Little Rock 
District and the St. Louis District's Mandatory Center of Expertise for 
the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections professional 
staff in consultation with

[[Page 2865]]

representatives of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; 
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; The Quapaw Tribe of Indians; The Osage 
Nation (previously listed as the Osage Tribe); and the United Keetoowah 
Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1961, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from 3HO11 (the Bell site), Millwood Reservoir, Howard 
County, AR. The burials were excavated during legally authorized 
excavations by the University of Arkansas, and the human remains have 
been housed at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, since their 
excavation. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates a late Fourche 
Maline phase with a Caddoan Mississippian occupation of the site from 
500 A.D. to the Contact Period.
    In 1962, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 individuals 
were removed from 3HO1 (the Mineral Springs site), Millwood Reservoir, 
Howard County, AR. The burials were excavated during legally authorized 
excavations by the University of Arkansas, and the human remains and 
associated funerary objects have been housed at the University of 
Arkansas, Fayetteville, since their excavation. No known individuals 
were identified. The 106 associated funerary objects are 10 lithic 
flakes, 12 chipped stone tools, 1 quartz crystal, 1 polished stone 
celt, 13 ceramic sherds, 32 complete ceramic vessels, 5 fragmented 
ceramic vessels, 3 ear spools, 7 fragments of shell, 1 lot of shell 
fragments, 8 beads, 8 clay pipes, and 5 fragments of baked clay.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates a Fourche Maline 
phase with a Caddoan Mississippian occupation of the site from 500 B.C. 
to the Contact Period.
    In the early 1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, 47 
individuals were removed from 3LR49 (the Old Martin Place site), 
Millwood Reservoir, Little River County, AR. The burials were excavated 
during legally authorized excavations by the University of Arkansas, 
and the human remains and associated funerary objects have been housed 
at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, since their excavation. No 
known individuals were identified. The 8 associated funerary objects 
are three bone hairpins, one complete ceramic vessel, one conch shell 
effigy vessel, one bone tube, one piece of chert, and one carved animal 
bone.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates a Fourche Maline 
phase with a Caddoan Mississippian occupation for the site from 500 
B.C. to the Contact Period.
    In the early 1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 
individuals were removed from 3LR12 (the White Cliffs site), Millwood 
Reservoir, Little River County, AR. The burials were excavated during 
legally authorized excavations by the University of Arkansas, 
Fayetteville, and the human remains and associated funerary objects 
have been housed at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, since 
their excavation. No known individuals were identified. The 19 
associated funerary objects are three lithic flakes, one ceramic sherd, 
three modified faunal bones, two unmodified pieces of fauna, one pipe 
stem, seven projectile points, one tool kit (including a sandstone 
abrader, flakes, and pigment), and one clay ball.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates an early Caddoan 
Mississippian occupation of the site from 900-1200 A.D.
    In the early 1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, seven 
individuals were removed from 3SV10 (the Millers Crossing site), 
Millwood Reservoir, Sevier County, AR. The burials were excavated 
during legally authorized excavations by the University of Arkansas, 
Fayetteville, and the human remains and associated funerary objects 
have been housed at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, since 
their excavation. No known individuals were identified. The 16 
associated funerary objects are five reconstructed vessels, two lumps 
of pigment, three pebbles, two stone fragments, three projectile 
points, and one sandstone fragment.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates a early Caddoan 
Mississippian occupation of the site from 900-1200 A.D.
    In the early 1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from 3SV15 (the Graves Chapel site), Millwood 
Reservoir, Sevier County, AR. The burials were excavated during legally 
authorized excavations by the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and 
the human remains have been housed at the University of Arkansas, 
Fayetteville, since their excavation. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates Late Archaic period 
(3000-650 B.C.) and Late Woodland A.D. (500-900) to Early Caddoan 
Mississippian (A.D. 900-1200) components of the site.
    In the early 1960s, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from 3SV21, Millwood Reservoir, Sevier County, 
AR. The burials were excavated during legally authorized excavations by 
the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and the human remains have 
been housed at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, since their 
excavation. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on the physical preservation of the remains and associated 
archeological context, the human remains are determined to be of Native 
American ancestry. Archeological evidence indicates a late prehistoric 
period occupation of the site from 900-1500 A.D.
    In the late 1950's, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from an unknown site on the Millwood 
Reservoir, in Howard, Little River, or Sevier Counties, AR. The burials 
were excavated during legally authorized excavations by the University 
of Arkansas, and the human remains and associated funerary objects have 
been housed at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, since their 
excavation. No known individuals were identified. The three associated 
funerary objects are ceramic sherds.
    The remains were recovered during the initial testing of 
prehistoric sites with Native American cultural contexts in the 
Millwood Reservoir area and are likely from a prehistoric site in the 
area. Based on the physical preservation of the remains and the likely 
Native American prehistoric archeological context, the human remains 
are

[[Page 2866]]

determined to be of Native American ancestry. Archeological evidence 
from sites in the region date to the late prehistoric period, from 900-
1500 A.D.
    Five lines of evidence support a cultural affiliation finding for 
the site including geographical, archeological, anthropological, 
historical, and oral history information gathered during consultation. 
The Caddo have a long association with the territory in which they were 
first encountered by the Europeans including in southwestern Arkansas. 
The emergence of the Caddo culture in the region of southwestern 
Arkansas, northern Louisiana, southeastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas 
is documented by 900 A.D. or shortly thereafter. The distinctive 
ceramics and specific artifacts made of stone, bone, antler, and marine 
shell form a line of evidence archeologically connecting historic Caddo 
groups with this region. Historic records and ethnographic accounts 
place the Caddo in this region in the 1600s. Based on the cultural 
material, geographic location, dates of occupation, 18th and 19th 
century accounts of the occupants of the area, and information gained 
during consultation, Little Rock District has determined that the human 
remains and associated funerary objects from the sites listed in this 
notice are culturally affiliated with the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by the Little Rock District

    Officials of the Little Rock District have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 88 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 152 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.

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 the request to Mr. Rodney Parker, District Archaeologist, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, P.O. Box 867, 
Little Rock AR 72203, telephone (501) 324-5752, email 
[email protected] by February 18, 2014. After that date, 
if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of 
the human remains and associated funerary object to the Caddo Nation of 
Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Little Rock District is responsible for notifying the Caddo 
Nation of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; The Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma; The Quapaw Tribe of Indians; The Osage Nation (previously 
listed as the Osage Tribe); and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee 
Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 5, 2013.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-00752 Filed 1-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P