[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21804-21805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08793]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-15179; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Texas A&M University, College 
Station, TX

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Texas A&M University 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 Texas A&M University. 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

[[Page 21805]]

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 Texas A&M 
University at the address in this notice by May 19, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Suzanne L. Eckert, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M 
University, College Station, TX 77843-4352, telephone (979) 845-5242.

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 Texas A&M University, 
College Station, TX. The human remains were removed from Wilson, 
Kinney, and Wharton Counties, 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 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 Texas A&M 
University (TAMU) professional staff in 1995. In 2010, representatives 
of the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; and the 
Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma were invited to consult with TAMU 
for the purpose of determining the place and manner of the 
repatriation. The Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma contacted TAMU with an 
interest in having these remains repatriated; no representatives from 
the other tribes contacted TAMU in response to this invitation.

History and Description of the Remains

    From July 1985 to August 1985, human remains representing, at 
minimum, three individuals were removed from the Wilson County Project 
Site (41WN73), in Wilson County, TX, as part of a salvage excavation 
run through the University of Texas at San Antonio. At the time of 
donation, these human remains were identified as being from Burial 
1 (TAMU-NAGPRA 45), Burial 2 (TAMU-NAGPRA 46), and 
Burial 3 (TAMU-NAGPRA 47). The human remains were determined 
to be as follows: Burial 1, one adult of indeterminate sex; 
Burial 2, one adult of indeterminate sex; and Burial 
3, one adult of indeterminate sex. Based on artifacts 
recovered from the site, the human remains were determined to be 
prehistoric. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from private land in Kinney County, TX, and donated to 
TAMU (TAMU-NAGPRA 48). At the time of donation, it was indicated that 
the human remains were probably prehistoric, without further 
explanation. Analysis of the human remains by physical anthropologists 
indicates that this individual was of Native American origins. The 
human remains were determined to be one adult female and one adult 
male. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1986, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from private land in Wharton County, TX, and donated to 
TAMU (TAMU-NAGPRA 56). The two associated funerary objects are a lead 
bullet and ceramic pipe. The associated funerary objects date the human 
remains to 1840-1870 A.D. Analysis of the human remains by physical 
anthropologists indicates that this individual was of Native American 
origins. The human remains were determined to be one adult of 
indeterminate sex. No known individuals were identified.
    Based on geographic location of all the sites in this notice, TAMU 
staff found it reasonable to trace a shared identity between the human 
remains in this notice and the following historic groups: Cantona, 
Ervipiame, Mayeye, Comanche, Kickapoo, Tonkawa, Coahuiltecan, and Lipan 
Apache. Archeological and linguistic evidence, historical records, and/
or traditional beliefs indicate that there is a relationship of shared 
group identity between these historic groups and the present-day 
Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Tonkawa 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by Texas A&M University

    Officials of Texas A&M University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of six individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the two 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 the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo 
Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Tonkawa Tribe of Indians 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Dr. 
Suzanne L. Eckert, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, 
College Station, TX 77843-4352, telephone (979) 845-5242, by May 19, 
2014. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the Comanche Nation, 
Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Tonkawa Tribe of Indians 
of Oklahoma may proceed.
    Texas A&M University is responsible for notifying the Comanche 
Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Tonkawa Tribe of 
Indians of Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 4, 2014.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-08793 Filed 4-16-14; 8:45 am]
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