[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12832-12833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04400]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22840; 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 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 Arkansas State Highway 
and Transportation Department. 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 Arkansas State Highway and Transportation 
Department at the address in this notice by April 6, 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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Arkansas State 
Highway and Transportation Department. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Hot Spring and Clark counties, AR.
    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 was made by the Arkansas 
State Highway and Transportation Department professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1998, human remains representing, at minimum, nine individuals 
were recovered from the Helm site (3HS499) in Hot Spring County, AR, 
during data recovery for the replacement of a bridge. The Arkansas 
State Highway and Transportation Department contracted the excavations 
out to Mid-Continental Research Associates, Inc., in Lowell, AR. The 
human remains were taken to the laboratory at Mid-Continental Research 
Associates, Inc., for analysis and then to the Arkansas Archeological 
Survey (AAS) for curation. The human remains were identified as one 
infant (less than two years old), three children (2 to 12 years), two 
youth (13 to 18 years), and three adults (19 to 35 years). The human 
remains consisted of two females, two males, and five undetermined. No 
known individuals were identified. The 23 associated funerary objects 
are 3 bowls, 2 bottles, 1 jar, 12 undescribed ceramic vessels, 4 
deposits of red ochre, and 1 piece of metal. These associated funerary 
objects and other diagnostic artifacts found at site 3HS449 indicate 
that these human remains were probably buried during the Late Caddo 
Period (A.D. 1450-1700).
    In 1987, human remains representing, at minimum, 24 individuals 
were recovered from the Hardman site (3CL418) in Clark County, AR. The 
Hardman site was excavated to mitigate the impacts of the construction 
of a bridge over Bayou Saline. The Arkansas State Highway and 
Transportation Department contracted the excavations out to the AAS, 
and the human remains and associated funerary objects have remained at 
the AAS's collections since the time of their removal. No known 
individuals were identified. The 105 associated funerary objects 
include 1 untyped Plain bottle (FSN134), 1 Hodges engraved var. Hodges 
bottle (FSN274-1), 1 untyped undecorated bowl (FSN274-2), 1 Hodges 
engraved

[[Page 12833]]

var. Nix carinated bowl (FSN276), 1 Hodges engraved var. Fowler bottle 
(FSN290-1), 1 De Roche incised jar var. Central (FSN290-2), 2 cut shell 
disks (FSN290), 1 untyped wide mouth bottle (FSN322), 1 untyped 
compound bottle (FSN326-1), 1 Glassell engraved (var. Atkins?) 
carinated bowl (FSN326-2), 1 Karnak brushed incised var. Midway jar 
(FSN326-3), 4 river cobbles (FSN326), 1 arrow point (FSN326), 1 Huson 
engraved bottle (FSN333-1), 1 Hodges engraved var. Nix carinated bowl 
(FSN333-2), 1 De Roche incised var. Central jar (FSN333-3), 1 Hodges 
engraved var. Hodges bottle (FSN335-1), 1 Hodges engraved var. Hodges 
cup (FSN335-2), 1 Hodges engraved var. Hodges bottle (FSN704-1), 1 Old 
Town Red var. Beaver Dam bowl (FSH704-2), 1 De Roche incised var. 
Central jar (FSN704-3), 2 freshwater bivalve shells (FSH704), 2 cut 
shell disks (FSH704), 49 barrel-shaped shell beads (FSN704), 1 green 
clay patty, 1 untyped incised bowl (FSN708-1), 1 Keno trailed bottle 
(FSN708-2), 1 Friendship engraved var. Tisdale carinated bowl (FSN912-
1), 1 untyped seed jar (FSN912-2), 1 Friendship engraved var. 
Unspecified carinated bowl (FSN912-3), 1 untyped punctuated jar 
(FSN912-4), 1 Caney punctuated var. Caney jar (FSN912-5), 1 Keno 
trailed var. Red Hill bottle (FSN924-1), 1 Karnack brushed incised var. 
Midway jar (FSN924-2), 1 untyped plain-bodied bottle (FSN1108-1), 1 
Simms engraved carinated bowl (FSN1108-2), 1 untyped undecorated bottle 
(FSN1116-1), 1 Cook engraved var. Cook carinated bowl (FSN1116-2), 1 
Cook engraved var. Cook carinated bowl (FSN1116-3), 1 Hardman engraved 
var. Hardman bowl (FSN1116-4), 1 Friendship engraved var. Freeman 
carinated bowl (FSN1116-5), 1 Hardman engraved var. Hardman bowl 
(FSN1116-6), 1 Garland engraved carinated bowl (FSN1116-7), 1 Caney 
puntated var. Caney jar (FSN1116-8), 1 Hardman engraved var. Joan bowl 
(FSN1116-9), 1 Hardman engraved var. Hardman bowl (FSN1116-10), 1 
Blakely engraved var. Witherspoon bottle (FSN1116-11), 1 Friendship 
engraved var. Freeman carinated bowl (FSH1116-12), 1 Belcher engraved 
var. Manchester bottle (FSN1116-13), 1 Friendship engraved var. Freeman 
carinated bowl (FSN1116-14), and 1 Basset arrow point (FSN1116). Based 
on the types of associated funerary objects, these burials have been 
dated to the Late Caddo, Deceiper phase (A.D. 1600-1700).

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 33 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 128 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 Caddo 
Nation of 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 and associated 
funerary objects 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 April 
6, 2017. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department is 
responsible for notifying the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: February 1, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-04400 Filed 3-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P