[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76349-76350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29904]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-17227; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army, 
Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill, OK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum 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 to the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum. 
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 Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum at 
the address in this notice by January 21, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Scott A. Neel, Director, Fort Sill National Historic 
Landmark and Museum, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, 
OK 73503, telephone (580) 442-6570, 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 Fort Sill National 
Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill OK. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Fort Sill, Comanche 
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) 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 the Fort 
Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; 
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma 
(previously listed as the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); 
Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw 
Nation; and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & 
Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In the early 1970s, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from four crevice burials (sites 34CM134-
34CM137) in the Cross Mountain and Rabbit Hill areas of Fort Sill. A 
number of crevice burials located on Fort Sill property had been 
disturbed and looted by the local populace and, in the 1970s, were 
salvaged by the Director of the Museum and Fort Sill personnel. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were documented and 
collected and have been curated by the Fort Sill National Historic 
Landmark and Museum since excavation. No known individuals were 
identified. The 4,727 associated funerary objects are 25 brass wire 
bracelets, 25 unidentified metal fragments, 1 small box with hinged 
lid, 1 metal buckle, 1 metal ring, 7 pieces of metal earrings, 1 piece 
of leather, 40 shell hair pipes, 4 mammal bones, 25 fragments of 
fibrous material, 13 fragments of metal buttons, 13 historic pottery 
fragments with decoration, 145 sequins, 2,608 seed beads of various 
colors, 1,736 tubular beads, and 82 barrel shaped beads.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from unknown locations, presumably on Fort 
Sill property. The human remains were included in the ethnological 
collections of the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum. The 
human remains include a scalp (#91.21.9) and a rattle made of human 
remains (#91.21.25). No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and 
Museum

    Officials of the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on the geographic location, 
artifact typologies, and burial practices,
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 7 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 4,727 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 or the Court

[[Page 76350]]

of Federal Claims, the land from which the Native American human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal 
land of {list tribes in alphabetical order per the BIA list: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-08-10/pdf/2012-19588.pdf{time} .
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or 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 
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Cheyenne and 
Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as the Cheyenne-Arapaho 
Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe 
of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Apache 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; Cheyenne and Arapaho 
Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of 
Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; and the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

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. Scott 
A. Neel, Director, Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, 
U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, OK 73503, telephone 
(580) 442-6570, email [email protected], by January 21, 2015. 
After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; 
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as the 
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Fort 
Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; and the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma, may proceed.
    The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum is responsible 
for notifying the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; 
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as the 
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; 
Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa 
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; and the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma, that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 24, 2014.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-29904 Filed 12-19-14; 8:45 am]
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