[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19627-19628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07766]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-20406; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army 
Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, Omaha, NE., and State 
Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City, SD

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District (Omaha 
District), 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 the Omaha District. 
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 the Omaha District at the address in this 
notice by May 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Sandra Barnum, U.S. Army Engineer District, Omaha, ATTN: 
CENWO-PM-AB, 1616 Capital Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102, telephone, (402) 
995-2674, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby 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 Omaha District. 
The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
site 39DW02 (Four Bear), in Dewey County, SD.
    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 and associated funerary 
objects was made by the State Archaeological Research Center (SARC) and 
Omaha District professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North 
Dakota.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1958 and 1959, human remains representing, at minimum, 12 
individuals and 868 associated funerary objects were collected from 
39DW2, the Four Bear site, Dewey County, SD. They are presently located 
at the SARC and are under the control of the Omaha District.
    The Four Bear site, 39DW2, was an earthlodge village on the west 
bank of the Missouri River. It was visited in the 1930s by Alfred 
Bowers of the Smithsonian Institution. Between 1958 and 1959, salvage 
excavations were conducted at the site prior to inundation by flood 
waters of the Oahe Reservoir. At least 100 sets of human remains were 
recovered. Twelve sets of human remains, representing 5 adults, 3 
children, and 4 infants, are currently housed at SARC. A total of 64 
sets of human remains were reburied either at Four Bear site or at site 
39ST15. The whereabouts of the remaining 24 sets of human remains are 
currently unknown. Based on burial type, associated artifacts, the 
remaining archeological context, and physical anthropological 
assessment, the 12 individuals presently located at SARC from the Four 
Bear site are Native American. No known individuals were identified. 
The 868 associated funerary objects are 5 shell and glass beads, 30 
ceramic sherds, 819 copper sleeves crimped on leather, 5 wire earrings, 
3 fragments of animal hide, 1 lot of animal hides, 1 faunal fragment, 2 
pieces of clay and soil, 1 seed cache, and 1 shell tool.
    The Four Bear site, 39 DW2, was probably occupied during the last 
two decades of the 1700s, which falls into the Disorganized Coalescent 
variant (A.D. 1780 to 1862) of the Plains Village Tradition. At least 
36 circular lodges were identified. The excavators located a cemetery 
associated with the village a short distance southwest of the village 
site. In addition to the mortuary practices and types of funerary 
objects in evidence, the architecture of the circular earth lodges, 
community plan, physical location, and ceramic types support the 
association of the site to the late 1700s. It is possible that the site 
was first documented in William Clark's journal on October 6, 1804, as 
well as being mentioned in journals of members of the Lewis and Clark 
Expedition. The journals mention that the ``Ricara'' had left the 
village the prior spring. Populations associated with the Coalescent 
tradition within this area and time frame, as evidenced by the 
ethnographic and archeological record, are believed to be ancestral to 
the Arikara. The Arikara are represented today by the Three Affiliated 
Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

Determinations Made by the Omaha District

    Officials of the Omaha District have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 12 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 868 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 Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

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 Ms. Sandra Barnum, U.S. Army Engineer 
District, Omaha, ATTN: CENWO-PM-AB, 1616 Capital Avenue,

[[Page 19628]]

Omaha, NE 68102, telephone, (402) 995-2674, email 
[email protected], by May 5, 2016. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Three Affiliated 
Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota, may proceed.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District is responsible for 
notifying the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, 
North Dakota, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 10, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-07766 Filed 4-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P