[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6918-6919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02300]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-14761; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa 
District, Tulsa, OK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa 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 US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa 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 US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa 
District, at the address in this notice by March 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Michelle C. Horn, Archaeologist, US Army Corps of Engineers, 
Tulsa District, 1645 S. 101 E. Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74128-0061, telephone 
(918) 669-7642.

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 US Army Corps of 
Engineers, Tulsa District, and in the physical custody of the Sam Noble 
Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH). The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from a site at Lake Texoma, in 
Bryan County, OK.
    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 originally made by 
the SNOMNH professional staff, and more recently by the US Army Corps 
of Engineers, Tulsa District, professional staff, in consultation with 
representatives of The Chickasaw Nation.

[[Page 6919]]

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1941, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from the Opel Site (34BR4) in Bryan County, OK. The site 
was excavated as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and the 
collection was deposited at the Stovall Museum (now SNOMNH). Although 
SNOMNH originally consulted on the collection and have physical custody 
of the human remains and associated funerary objects, the collection 
was recently determined to be under the control of the US Army Corps of 
Engineers, Tulsa District. The human remains represent one child from 
Burial 1 and one adult from Burial 2. No known individuals were 
identified. The 70 associated funerary objects are from two separate 
burials. The 58 associated funerary objects from Burial 1 are 9 
saucers, bowls, and plates; 3 ceramic cups; 5 spoons; 2 shoes; 1 iron 
cup; 1 lot of iron pail fragments; 1 china bowl; 1 broken glass; 1 
small glass bottle; 1 lot of iron pieces; 29 small beads; 2 thimbles; 1 
fork; and 1 knife. The 12 associated funerary objects from Burial 2 are 
1 bead, 1 worked stone, 1 iron buckle, 2 glass disks, and 7 buttons.
    Based on the types of materials found at the Opel Site including 
the associated funerary objects, it is reasonable to determine that the 
burials are historic and date to the late 19th century. At the time the 
burials were excavated in 1941, local residents could not recall a 
house being at that location and the site had been cultivated for 
approximately 40 years. The region in which the site is located was 
designated Chickasaw Territory in 1837, and historic documents and oral 
histories of the Chickasaw provide additional support that the region 
was occupied by their tribe during the 19th century. Consultation with 
representatives of The Chickasaw Nation confirms that the associated 
funerary objects are the types and quantities of materials that are 
found with Chickasaw burials from this time period.

Determinations Made by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District

    Officials of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 70 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 
Chickasaw Nation.

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 Michelle C. Horn, Archaeologist, US Army 
Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, 1645 S. 101 E. Avenue, Tulsa, OK 
74128-0061, telephone (918) 669-7642, by March 7, 2014. After that 
date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The 
Chickasaw Nation may proceed.
    The US Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, is responsible for 
notifying The Chickasaw Nation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 2, 2014.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-02300 Filed 2-4-14; 8:45 am]
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