[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 36 (Friday, February 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11637-11638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03635]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22773; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Arkansas State Highway and 
Transportation Department, Little Rock, AR

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department has 
completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 should submit

[[Page 11638]]

a written request to the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation 
Department. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department at the address in 
this notice by March 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Kristina Boykin, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation 
Department, P.O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203, telephone (501) 569-
2079, 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 under 
the control of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation 
Department. The human remains were removed from multiple counties in 
Arkansas.
    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.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1974, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were recovered from Sylamore Ferry site (3ST26) in Stone County, AR. A 
portion of the Sylamore Ferry site was going to be impacted by Arkansas 
State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) construction. The 
excavations were undertaken by the AHTD, and the human remains were 
stored at Texas A&M University. In 1985, the human remains were 
returned to the AHTD and then eventually were taken for permanent 
storage to the Arkansas Archeological Survey (AAS). The gender and age 
of the human remains were undetermined. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Diagnostic 
artifacts found at the Sylamore Ferry site (3ST26) indicate that the 
human remains were probably buried during the Mississippian period 
(A.D. 1100 to 1600).
    In 1988, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were recovered from site 3LW15 in Lawrence County, AR, during 
preliminary analysis of the U.S. Highway 67 relocation in northeast 
Arkansas. No further work was done at this site because it was not 
within the project's footprint. The human remains have remained in the 
AAS's collections since the time of their removal. The gender and age 
of the human remains were undetermined. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Diagnostic 
artifacts found at site 3LW15 indicate that these human remains were 
probably buried during the Mississippian period (A.D. 900 to 1500).
    In 1995, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were recovered from site 3CG1059 in Craighead County, AR. The burials 
were discovered during Phase II excavation for the construction of Cash 
Bypass. The AHTD contracted the excavations out to the Center of 
Archaeological Research at Southwest Missouri State University. The 
human remains were transferred to the AAS for curation. The human 
remains were identified as two adults. The gender of the human remains 
was undetermined. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present. Diagnostic artifacts found at site 
3CG1059 indicate that these human remains were probably buried possibly 
during the Mississippian period (A.D. 900 to 1500).
    In 1996, human remains representing, a minimum, six individuals 
were recovered from the Holden-Conner site (3JA632) in Jackson County, 
AR, during Phase III mitigation for the expansion and relocation of 
U.S. Highway 67. The AHTD contracted the excavations out to the Center 
of Archaeological Research at Southwest Missouri State University. The 
human remains were transferred to the AAS for curation. The human 
remains were identified as one infant (1-4 years), three children (4-8 
years), and two young adults (16 to 21 years). The gender of the human 
remains was undetermined. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present. Diagnostic artifacts found at 
site 3JA632 indicate that these human remains were probably buried 
during the Late Mississippian period (A.D. 1400 to 1650).

Determinations Made by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation 
Department

    Officials of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation 
Department 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(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, Cherokee 
Nation, The Osage Nation (previously listed as the Osage Tribe), The 
Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe, and United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Kristina 
Boykin, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, P.O. Box 
2261, Little Rock, AR 72203, telephone (501) 569-2079, email 
[email protected], by March 27, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation, the 
Osage Nation (previously listed as the Osage Tribe), the Quapaw Tribe 
of Indians, Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe, and the United Keetoowah Band 
of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department is 
responsible for notifying the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation 
of Oklahoma, the Osage Nation (previously listed as the Osage Tribe), 
the Quapaw Tribe of Indians, Tunica-Biloxi Indian, and the United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: January 24, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-03635 Filed 2-23-17; 8:45 am]
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