[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 200 (Thursday, October 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62202-62203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24516]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-16766; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann 
Arbor, MI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The University of Michigan 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 no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian 
tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 University of Michigan. If 
no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 University of Michigan at the address in this notice 
by November 17, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of 
Michigan Office of Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 S. Thompson 
St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone (734) 647-9085, 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 University of 
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from private land in Lapeer County, MI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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 University 
of Michigan officials in consultation with representatives of the Bay 
Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky 
Boy's Reservation, Montana; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa 
Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay 
Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, 
Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-
e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; 
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (formerly the Huron 
Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and 
Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie 
Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan; and the Wyandotte Nation, 
Oklahoma.
    Additional requests for consultation were sent to the Bad River 
Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River 
Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Fond du 
Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Leech 
Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Mille Lacs Band 
of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas; Quechan Tribe of the Fort 
Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake 
Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red

[[Page 62203]]

Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, 
Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain 
Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; and the White Earth Band of 
the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.
    Hereafter, all tribes listed in this section are referred to as 
``The Tribes.''

History and Description of the Remains

    From 1923 to 1935, human remains representing, at minimum, 94 
individuals were removed from the Younge site (20LP1) in Lapeer County, 
MI. The site is located on farmland north of Imlay City and had been 
plowed over for years. Between 1923 and 1935, amateur archaeologist 
Carman Baggerly collected at the site with the landowner's permission. 
Baggerly donated many of the human remains and objects to the 
University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology (UMMAA) 
over that period. These donations prompted a UMMAA excavation of the 
site that occurred from July 19 to November 5, 1935, under the 
direction of Wilbert Hinsdale and Emerson Greenman.
    UMMAA's excavation found 2 distinct structures at the site based on 
the presence of post molds. These structures were recorded as 
Enclosures 1 and 2. The structures were described as successively re-
built longhouses standing parallel to one another with walls 
approximately 5-6 feet thick. All of the burials were found within or 
near Enclosure 1, which was only partially excavated. Archaeologists 
found hearths and pits filled with a mixture of ashes, charcoal, faunal 
bones, and tobacco pipe fragments above the burials throughout 
Enclosure 1. Excavations found 57 distinct burial features, with 16 
additional site features having human remains. The individuals included 
both males and females, ages ranging from infants to older adults. No 
known individuals were identified. A variety of burial types were found 
at the site including extended burials, bundle burials, torso burials, 
and cremations. One burial was noted as containing red ochre. Many of 
the human remains found within Enclosure 1 show considerable evidence 
of post-mortem modifications. Post-mortem modifications included 
cutting, shaving and drilling of the ends of long bones; drilled 
perforations, smaller than 3cm diameter, at the top of crania and 1 
manubrium; and plaque disc removals, larger than 3cm diameter, cut from 
either the top or back of crania. Some remains were noted as found 
rearticulated, with the modified heads of femora inserted into the 
obturator foramen of the pelvis. Between 1996 and 2006, 1 lot of DNA 
extractions was taken from human remains in this site collection.
    The human remains date to the Late Woodland Period (900-1300 A.D.) 
based on objects found at the site. The 812 associated funerary objects 
present are 789 ceramic sherds, 20 black bear bone fragments, 1 stone 
celt, 1 ceramic elbow pipe, and 1 lot of red ochre and soil.

Determinations Made by the University of Michigan

    Officials of the University of Michigan have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on cranial morphology, dental 
traits, accession documentation, and archeological context.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 94 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 812 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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the 
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, and Executive Orders indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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. Ben 
Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of Michigan Office of 
Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 S. Thompson St., Ann Arbor, MI 
48109-1340, telephone (734) 647-9085, email [email protected], by 
November 17, 2014. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to The Tribes may proceed.
    The University of Michigan's Office of Research is responsible for 
notifying The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 22, 2014.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-24516 Filed 10-15-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P