[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21801-21802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08797]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-15176; 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 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 and associated funerary objects 
were removed from Burleson County, 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; Tonkawa 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; and the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe 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

    Between July and August 1984, human remains representing, at 
minimum, five individuals were removed from the Highway 21 Project 
(41BU16) in Burleson County, TX, as part of a CRM project conducted by 
Texas A&M under the supervision of TX-DOT. The human remains were 
determined to be as follows: From Burial 1 (TAMU-NAGPRA 26), 
one adult female; from Burial 2 (TAMU-NAGPRA 27), one adult 
female; from Burial 3 (TAMU-NAGPRA 28), one adult female; from 
Burial 4 (TAMU-NAGPRA 29), one subadult; and Burial 5 
(TAMU-NAGPRA 30), one adult

[[Page 21802]]

female. No known individuals were identified. A total of six associated 
funerary objects were recovered with the human remains. The three 
associated funerary objects found in the vicinity of Burial 1 
include one Scallorn point, one unidentified point, and one ceramic 
sherd. The two associated funerary objects found in the vicinity of 
Burial 2 include one Gary Point and one quartzite hammerstone. 
The one associated funerary object found in the vicinity of Burial 
3 is the distal fragment of a projectile point. No associated 
funerary objects were associated with Burial 4 or Burial 
5.
    In October of 1992, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed from Buffalo Ranch (41BU52) in Burleson 
County, TX. The human remains were determined to be as follows: from 
Burial A also designated Burial 1 (TAMU-NAGPRA 33), 1 adult female; 
from Burial B also designated Burial 2 (TAMU-NAGPRA 34), 1 adult male; 
from Burial C (TAMU-NAGPRA 35), 1 adult male. At the time of donation 
to TAMU, these human remains were identified as ``burials eroding from 
river bank.'' No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Sometime prior to March 1996, human remains representing, at 
minimum, one individual were removed from the banks of the Brazos River 
in Burleson County, TX, by the Burleson County Sheriff's Department. At 
the time of donation to TAMU, the human remains (TAMU-NAGPRA 53) were 
identified as ``probably those of a prehistoric Native American female 
having belong to a hunting and gathering group.'' 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. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on associated funerary objects and/or the geographic location 
of these remains, TAMU staff found it reasonable to trace a shared 
identity to late prehistoric Plains tribes of Central Texas. 
Archeological and linguistic evidence, historical records, and 
traditional beliefs indicate that there is a relationship of shared 
group identity between the late prehistoric Plains tribes of Central 
Texas and the present-day Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; and the Tunica-Biloxi 
Indian Tribe.

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 nine individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the six 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; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; and the 
Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe.

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 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 and associated funerary objects to the Comanche Nation, 
Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma; and the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe.
    Texas A&M University is responsible for notifying the Comanche 
Nation, Oklahoma; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Tonkawa Tribe of Indians 
of Oklahoma; and the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: March 4, 2014.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-08797 Filed 4-16-14; 8:45 am]
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