[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 168 (Monday, August 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52490-52491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21498]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-18960; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region, Anchorage, AK, and the 
University of Alaska Museum of the North, Fairbanks, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Alaska Region (Alaska Region USFWS), and the University of 
Alaska Museum of the North have completed an inventory of human remains 
and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate 
Alaska Native Tribes, and have determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
and a present-day Alaska Native Tribe. Representatives of any Alaska 
Native Tribe 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 Alaska Region USFWS. If 
no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains to the Alaska Native Tribe stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Representatives of any Alaska Native Tribe 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 the Alaska Region USFWS at the address in this notice by 
September 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Edward J. DeCleva, Regional Historic Preservation Officer/
Archaeologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Road, MS-
235, Anchorage, AK 99503, telephone (907) 786-3399, 
[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 Alaska Region 
USFWS and housed at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from the 
Turner River archaeological site (XDP-00037), in North Slope Borough, 
AK.
    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. 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 Alaska 
Region USFWS and the University of Alaska Museum of the North 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Native 
Village of Kaktovik.

History and Description of the Remains

    The Turner River Overlook archeological site (XDP-00037), also 
referred to as Lorenz Overlook, is located on the North Slope of Alaska 
within the boundaries of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 
Professional archeological excavations were carried out at the site 
between 1977 and 1980, led by Curtis J. Wilson who reported on these 
excavations in his 1991 Ph.D. dissertation. All of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects removed from this site by Wilson were 
placed in three different accessions at the University of Alaska Museum 
of the North: UA78-388, UA79-231, and UA80-203.
    In 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals, 
were removed from site XDP-00037. The human remains in accession UA78-
388 are the partial remains of one adult female, one adult male, two 
adults of indeterminate sex, and one perinatal individual of 
indeterminate sex. No known individuals were identified. The 864 
associated funerary objects are 685 beads, 38 projectile points, 8 
knives, 1 drill bearing, 1 wrist guard, 6 fishhook shanks, 1 harpoon 
head, 11 pieces of birch bark, 3 labrets, 2 quartz crystals, 1 axe 
head, 1 ground stone, 1 sled runner, 2 scrapers, 1 whetstone, 1 toy bow 
fragment, 3 net gauges, 1 line spreader, 1 ladle, 1 bird blunt, 1 piece 
of ochre, 30 faunal remains, 10 pieces of worked wood, 21 metal 
fragments, 3 pieces of worked ivory, 15 pieces of worked antler, 10 
pieces of worked bone, 2 flakes, 2 pebbles, and 1 cobble.
    In 1979, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 individuals 
were removed from site XDP-00037. The human remains in accession 79-231 
are the partial remains of five adult females, one adult of 
indeterminate sex, one juvenile of indeterminate sex, and four adult 
males. No known individuals were identified. The 263 associated 
funerary objects are 8 beads, 15 burned stones, 1 cooking stone, 1 
projectile point, 2 flakes, 2 pieces of wood, 4 metal fragments, 1 
piece of worked ivory, 4 pieces of worked antler, 1 piece of worked 
wood, 17 pieces of worked bone, 131 faunal remains, 6 stones, and 70 
pebbles.
    In 1980, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed from site XDP-00037. The human remains in accession UA80-
203 are the partial remains of one adult female, two adult males, one 
juvenile of indeterminate sex, and one sub-adult of indeterminate sex. 
No known individuals were identified. The 3,776 associated funerary 
objects are 1 awl, 1 piece of bark, 204 beads, 4 biface fragments, 2 
bow fragments, 8 burned stones, 5 core fragments, 1 end scraper, 2,430 
faunal remains, 9 fire spalls, 2 flagging stones, 135 flakes, 1 glass 
bottle fragment, 7 pieces of ground stone, 1 harpoon point, 2 knives, 1 
knife handle, 3 labrets, 4 lamps, 7 lamp fragments, 1 piece of lead 
shot, 17 metal fragments, 2 nails, 659 pebbles, 19 projectile points, 2 
quartz crystals, 2 rock spalls, 1 sandstone tool, 29 pieces of slate, 6 
stones, 1 piece of tar, 1 ulu blade, 6 pieces of wood, 38 pieces of 
worked antler, 89 pieces of worked bone, 1 piece of worked ivory, 4 
worked stones, and 70 pieces of worked wood.
    Based the geographic location, the condition of the human remains, 
and morphology, all of the human remains described in this notice are 
determined to be Native American. The removal of these human remains 
and associated funerary objects from surface burials or shallow graves 
is consistent with a common pre-contact and contact era burial practice 
in the region to lay the deceased out either directly on the surface or 
enclosed in a box on the surface. Kaktovik is an Alaska Native village 
in the North Slope Borough and is located on the northern edge of the 
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Archeological studies and oral 
traditions show that there is at least 1,000 years of continuity 
between present-day and past peoples living on the North Slope of 
Alaska. Based on this information, the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice are determined to be 
culturally affiliated with Native American tribal members residing in 
Kaktovik, AK, today, represented by the Native Village of Kaktovik.

Determinations Made by the Alaska Region USFWS and the University of 
Alaska Museum of the North

    Officials of the Alaska Region USFWS and the University of Alaska 
Museum of the North have determined that:

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     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 21 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 4,903 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 Native 
Village of Kaktovik.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Alaska Native Tribe 
not identified in this notice that wishes 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 
Edward DeCleva, Regional Historic Preservation Officer/Archaeologist, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region, 1011 E. Tudor Road, MS-
235, Anchorage, AK 99013, telephone (907) 786-3399, email 
[email protected], by September 30, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Native Village of 
Kaktovik may proceed.
    The Alaska Region, USFWS and the University of Alaska Museum of the 
North are responsible for notifying the Native Village of Kaktovik that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 31, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-21498 Filed 8-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P