[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28266-28267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13040]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0025564; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Arkansas Museum 
Collections, Fayetteville, AR

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Arkansas Museum Collections 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 University of Arkansas Museum Collections. 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 and associated funerary 
objects remains should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the University of Arkansas Museum Collections 
at the address in this notice by July 18, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Mary Suter, University of Arkansas Museum Collections, 
Biomass Building 125, 2435 North Hatch Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72704, 
telephone (479) 575-3456, 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 University of 
Arkansas Museum Collections, Fayetteville, AR. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Spiro Mound (34LF40), Le 
Flore County, OK.
    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 
University of Arkansas Museum Collections professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and 
the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In the 1930s, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed from Spiro Mound in Le Flore County, OK. 
Samuel Dellinger, Curator of the University of Arkansas Museum, 
purchased these remains after they had been removed from the site by 
the Pocola Mining Company, which leased the land on which Spiro Mound 
is located. The company removed human remains and artifacts from the 
site between 1933 and 1935. The human remains--three skulls--entered 
the University of Arkansas Museum collections in 1937. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
fragmented copper band that had been placed around the head of one of 
the individuals.
    Spiro Mound is believed to have been occupied for at least 550 
years. Evidence of a Woodland period occupation of the site may be 
related to the Fourche Maline phase of that period. James A. Brown 
divides the Mississippi period occupation of Spiro Mound into four 
phases, beginning around A.D. 900 and ending around A.D. 1450: The 
Evans Phase, which dated from A.D. 900-1050; the Harlan Phase, which 
dated from A.D. 1050 to A.D. 1100-1250; the Norman Phase, dating 
between A.D 1250 and 1350; and the Spiro Phase, which lasted until 
1450. The human remains and copper band from the Pocola mining company 
excavations of the 1930s likely came from Craig mound. This mound was 
initially built in the Harlan phase (A.D. 1050-1250), but saw its most 
intense use as a ceremonial and burial site in the Norman and Spiro 
phases (A.D. 1250-1450). It is believed by many archeologists that the 
Caddo and Wichita were both culturally descended from the peoples who 
used the Spiro Mound site. Spiro is located within an area 
archeologically and ethnographically considered to have been occupied 
by a group ancestral to both the Caddo and Wichita. Based upon 
geographical, archeological, and historical evidence, and expert 
opinion, the University of Arkansas Museum Collections reasonably 
believes the Caddo and Wichita are culturally affiliated with the human 
remains described here. The present-day descendants of the Caddo are 
members of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the present-day descendants 
of the Wichita are members of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, 
Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by the University of Arkansas Museum Collections

    Officials of the University of Arkansas Museum collections have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described 
in this notice is 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 and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, 
Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

[[Page 28267]]

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 Mary Suter, University of Arkansas Museum 
Collections, Biomass Building 125, 2435 North Hatch Avenue, 
Fayetteville, AR 72704, telephone (479) 575-3456, email 
[email protected], by July 18, 2018. 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 and the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma may proceed.
    The University of Arkansas Museum Collections is responsible for 
notifying the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated 
Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: May 9, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-13040 Filed 6-15-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P