[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 219 (Tuesday, November 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56370-56371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24663]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0026717; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State Historical Society, 
Topeka, KS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Kansas State Historical Society 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 a written request to the Kansas State 
Historical Society. 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 
Kansas State Historical Society at the address in this notice by 
December 13, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Robert J. Hoard, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 
SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-1099, telephone 785-272-8681, Ext. 269, 
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 Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS. The 
human remains were removed from Barber, Cowley, Marion, Rice, and 
Sumner Counties, 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. 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 Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, 
Waco, and Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    On or before 1985, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from portions of site 14BA401, the JJ Lemon 
Ranch site (UBS 2001-22) in Barber County, KS, by an artifact collector 
in Pratt, KS. In 2001, the collector showed his collection to Kansas 
State Historical Society staff, who identified and took possession of 
the human remains--cranial fragments, a mandible fragment with teeth, 
three vertebrae, and two fragments of a femur--all of which belong to a 
single, 45-55-year-old male. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The site is affiliated with the Middle Ceramic (ca. A.D. 1100-1400) 
Pratt complex based on diagnostic artifacts observed at the site. The 
Pratt complex material culture recovered from the site--charred corn 
cobs, small triangular Washita points, beveled knives, bison scapula 
hoes, other bone tools, and attributes of ceramic vessel sherds--is 
representative of the people who are ancestral to the Great Bend aspect 
and, ultimately, to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, as asserted by 
Brosowske and Bevitt in the volume Kansas Archaeology (Hoard and Banks 
2006:180-205), as well as by others. Previously recovered human remains 
from this site were repatriated to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes in 
1999 (Federal Register March 12, 1999, vol. 64, no. 48, pp. 12349-
12351).
    In 1969, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual was 
removed from 14SR303, the Buresh site (UBS 2000-12) in Sumner County, 
KS. Kansas State Historical Society staff excavated the site to save 
information from the site before it was destroyed by collectors. A 
human occipital belonging to an adult was recovered from a large basin-
shaped feature containing charcoal, tools, and other cultural debris. 
These human remains were not noted during the excavation, but were 
found only later, during analysis of the Kansas State Historical 
Society collections. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The site dates to ca. A.D. 1100. The material culture recovered 
from the site--charred corn cobs, small triangular Washita points, 
beveled knives, bison scapula hoes, other bone tools, and sherds from 
globular jars with decorated lips and rims--is consistent with the 
Washita focus, whose people are considered to be ancestral to the Great 
Bend aspect and, ultimately, to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, as 
asserted by Brosowske and Bevitt in the volume Kansas Archaeology 
(Hoard and Banks 2006:180-205), as well as by others.
    In 1986, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from 14MN328, the Mem site (UBS 2001-26) in advance of 
highway construction. The collections from the site, including ceramic 
vessel sherds and side-notched arrow pints, are consistent with the 
Great Bend aspect. Subsequent analysis of collections from the 
investigations recovered a human deciduous incisor belonging to a 
single individual. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The Great Bend aspect, ca. A.D. 1350-1700, is widely understood to 
be ancestral to the modern-day Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. This 
understanding is based on radiocarbon dates, geographic region, 
material culture, oral tradition, and historical documents such as the 
entradas of Coronado and O[ntilde]ate in A.D. 1541 and 1601, 
respectively, as well as historical continuity into the nineteenth and 
twentieth centuries. This evidence is strongly asserted in Waldo 
Wedel's 1959 publication An Introduction to Kansas Archeology and in 
many subsequent archeological publications.
    In 1977, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from 14RC2, the Major site (UBS 2001-32) in Rice County, 
KS. A private individual excavated a trash pit at the site, and 
subsequently donated the collection to the Kansas State

[[Page 56371]]

Historical Society. The collections from the site, including ceramic 
vessel sherds and side-notched arrow pints, are consistent with the 
Great Bend aspect. The collection included a mandible fragment with 
four teeth, belonging to a single adult individual. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1977 and 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from 14RC8, the Tobias site (UBS 2011-01) in 
Rice County, KS. Research excavations by the Kansas State Historical 
Society led to the collection of extensive amounts of cultural material 
with a clear affiliation to the ancestral Wichita Great Bend aspect. An 
adult human tooth was recovered from this collection in 2011. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 2005, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from 14RC410, the Little River site (UBS 2005-08) in Rice 
County, KS. Excavations in advance of the construction of a water 
treatment plant encountered a human burial. Because artifacts 
consistent with the Great Bend aspect were present at the site, the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes were contacted, and the burial was left 
in place. During subsequent analysis of the site collection, small, 
fragmentary remains belonging to two individuals were discovered. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Between 1994 and 1996, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from 14CO1, the Larcom-Haggard site (UBS 2015-
08), in Cowley County, KS. Kansas State Historical Society staff 
excavated this Great Bend aspect site in advance of highway 
construction. Representatives of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes were 
actively consulted during investigations. Subsequent analysis of the 
materials collected led to the discovery of a single human deciduous 
incisor. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Between 1994 and 1996, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from 14CO3, the County Club site (UBS 2006-05), 
in Cowley County, KS. Kansas State Historical Society staff excavated 
this Great Bend aspect site in advance of highway construction. 
Representatives of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes were actively 
consulted during investigations. Subsequent analysis of the materials 
collected led to the discovery of a single human deciduous incisor. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Between 1994 and 1996, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from 14CO332, the Havelock site (UBS 2001-20), 
in Cowley County, KS. Kansas State Historical Society staff excavated 
this Great Bend aspect site in advance of highway construction. 
Representatives of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes were actively 
consulted during investigations. Subsequent analysis of the materials 
collected led to the discovery of a single human deciduous incisor. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.

Determinations Made by the Kansas State Historical Society

    Officials of the Kansas State Historical Society have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 10 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 Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, 
Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 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 Dr. 
Robert J. Hoard, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, 
Topeka, KS 66615-1099, telephone 785-272-8681, Ext. 269, email 
[email protected], by December 13, 2018. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, 
Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Kansas State Historical Society is responsible for notifying 
the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 9, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-24663 Filed 11-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P