[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44452-44453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20303]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0024070; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


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

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 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 U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, 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 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha 
District, at the address in this notice by October 23, 2017.

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 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 U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Omaha District. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from site 39BF231, Buffalo 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 and the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South 
Dakota.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1961, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from site 39BF231 in Buffalo County, SD. The human remains 
were collected by Robert W. Neuman of the Smithsonian Institution, when 
thirteen coffin burials were excavated prior to construction of a new 
Highway 47. The human remains are determined to be Native American 
based on the location of the site, which is near the Crow Creek Indian 
Reservation. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
stored at the Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC). The human remains 
were transferred from MWAC in 1964 to the University of Kansas, then to 
the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 1971, and then to the 
Smithsonian Institution in 1979. The human remains are currently at the 
Smithsonian Institution and are not included in the Notice. MWAC did 
not transfer the funerary objects and the human remains together. 
Instead, MWAC transferred the funerary objects to the South Dakota 
State Archaeological Research Center (SARC) in 1987. In 1999 and 2000, 
SARC found human remains--mummified skin and hair--among the funerary 
objects. The mummified skin and hair are from two individual burials 
collected by Neuman in 1961. These human remains are currently housed 
at SARC. No known individuals were identified. The 1,351 associated 
funerary objects are 1,046 glass beads, 141 shell beads, 81 brass 
beads, 1 brass button, 16 glass buttons, 4 silver earrings, 1 vial of 
seeds, 2 wood fragments, 1 antler and brass handle, 1 chipped stone, 1 
mirror with brass frame, 2 iron nails, 1 brass pendant, 3 pipe 
preforms, 38 iron pot fragments, 1 iron ring, 1 spoon, 2 brass tacks, 3 
linen fragments, 3 wool fragments, and 2 brass thimbles.
    The use of coffins for Native American burials and the alignment of 
the burials in rows are representative of the post-1870s, Early 
Reservation Period at the nearby Crow Creek Indian Reservation. By the 
1870s, the reservation was inhabited by the Yanktonai. The associated 
funerary objects are consistent with Yanktonai historic burials. The 
Yanktonai today are represented by the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South 
Dakota. Consultation with the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota 
indicates that the associated funerary objects listed in this notice 
are the kinds of objects that were typically placed with individuals at 
the time of death.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

    Officials of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 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 two individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 1,351 objects 
described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed 
with or near individual human remains at the time of death or

[[Page 44453]]

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 Yankton 
Sioux Tribe of South 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, Omaha, NE 
68102, telephone, (402) 995-2674, 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 
funerary objects to the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota may 
proceed.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District is responsible for 
notifying the Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: August 29, 2017.
Sarah Glass,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-20303 Filed 9-21-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P