[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44444-44445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20292]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0023930; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State University, 
Manhattan, KS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Kansas State University 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 who wish to request transfer of control of these human 
remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request 
to the Kansas State University. 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 who 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 Kansas State University at the address in 
this notice by October 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Lauren W. Ritterbush, Department of Sociology, 
Anthropology, and Social Work, Kansas State University, 204 Waters 
Hall, 1603 Old Claflin Place, Manhattan, KS 66506-4003, telephone 
(785)-532-6828, 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 Kansas State 
University, Manhattan, KS. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Calovich Mound (14WY7), Wyandotte County, KS.
    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 Kansas 
State University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas & Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Kaw Nation,

[[Page 44445]]

Oklahoma; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma; and Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1962, with follow-up work in 1963 and 1965, human remains 
representing, at minimum, 79 individuals and associated objects were 
removed from Calovich Mound (14WY7) in Wyandotte County, KS. The human 
remains were removed during excavations as part of a University of 
Kansas field class under the direction of Drs. William Bass and Robert 
Squier. The human remains were curated at the University of Kansas 
until 1975 when they were transferred to the physical anthropology 
laboratory at Kansas State University for analysis. Analysis was 
completed by a Wichita State University Master's student, Ms. Ethne 
Barnes (1977). The human remains included male and female individuals 
ranging in age from newborn to adults 60 years or older with 38% 
infants, 34% children, 4% adolescents, and 24% adults. No known 
individuals were identified. The present collection holds 60 associated 
funerary objects including 1 partial bone pendant, 3 shell pendants, 13 
shell disk beads, and 43 pieces of unmodified freshwater mussel shell. 
Other objects were identified during the analysis but are not present 
in the collection.
    Calovich Mound is assigned to the Steed-Kisker phase of the Late 
Prehistoric (Middle Ceramic) period with a single radiocarbon date 
suggesting an approximate age of A.D. 1027-1285. Research suggests the 
Steed-Kisker phase is part of the Central Plains tradition, a hunter-
gatherer-gardener adaptive system of the Central Plains region (not a 
single ethnic group). The precedent for other Steed-Kisker phase human 
remains was set by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of 
Natural History (NMNH) based on archeological, physical 
anthropological, and oral history evidence and consultation with 
Tribes. This was to effect a joint repatriation of the Steed-Kisker 
site human remains to the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kaw Nation, Oklahoma; 
Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; 
and Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. The implication is that the 
Steed-Kisker phase has a shared group identity with Northern Caddoans 
and with both Dhegiha and Chiwere Siouans.

Determinations Made by Kansas State University

    Officials of Kansas State University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of a minimum of 79 
individuals of Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 60 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 Iowa 
Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kaw Nation, 
Oklahoma; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma; and Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice who wish to request 
transfer of control of these human remains and existing associated 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to Dr. Lauren Ritterbush, Department of Sociology, 
Anthropology and Social Work, Kansas State University, 204 Waters Hall, 
1603 Old Claflin Place, Manhattan, KS 66506-4003, telephone (785) 532 
6865, email [email protected], by October 23, 2017. After that date, if 
no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated object to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and 
Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kaw Nation, Oklahoma; Otoe-Missouria 
Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and Ponca Tribe 
of Indians of Oklahoma may proceed.
    Kansas State University is responsible for notifying the Iowa Tribe 
of Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Kaw Nation, Oklahoma; 
Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; 
and Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 1, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-20292 Filed 9-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P