[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21803-21804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-09994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0027788: 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 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 Kansas State Historical Society. 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 Kansas State Historical Society at the 
address in this notice by June 14, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Robert J. Hoard, Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 
SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615, 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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Kansas State 
Historical Society, Topeka, KS. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from archeological site 14RP1, Republic 
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 Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    Removal of human remains and associated funerary objects from the 
Pawnee Indian Village site (also known as Kansas Monument site and 
Kansas archeological site number 14RP1) occurred in several instances.
    In 1996 and 1997, human remains representing, at minimum, seven 
individuals were removed from archeological site 14RP1, the Pawnee 
Indian Village site, in Republic County, KS. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were taken from burial pits within and near 
the site. Some of the burial had been disturbed variously, by 
intentional looting and excavation by professional archeologists before 
burial law protection had been enacted. Burial 1 consists of one adult 
represented by 38 skeletal elements. Burial 2 consists of one adult 
represented by fragmentary cranial bones, phalanges, mandible 
fragments, long bone diaphysis, and teeth. Burial 3 consists of one 
adult male represented by 74 badly damaged and decomposed cranial 
elements, long bones, and scapula, clavicle, and pelvic elements. 
Burial 4 consists of one adult represented by fragmented long bones and 
a patella. Burial 5 consists of one adult female represented by over 
140 small bone fragments that include one pelvic fragment and several 
identifiable long bone fragments. Burial 6 consists of one four-to-six 
month old infant represented by 15 bone fragments and two teeth. Burial 
7 consists of seven element fragments. No known individuals were 
identified. The 90 associated funerary objects include one chipped 
stone scraper, ochre, flakes,

[[Page 21804]]

beads and beads fragments, one smoking pipe fragment, two iron 
fragments, and multiple wood fragments. These cultural items are 
identified by the designation UBS 1990-12.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from archeological site 14RP1 in Republic 
County KS. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
donated to the Kansas State Historical Society in 1896, by Mrs. George 
Johnson. The fragmentary elements belong to one infant represented by 
69 elements; one two-to-five-year-old represented by 21 bone fragments; 
and three adults represented by 54 bone fragments. No known individuals 
were identified. The 40 associated funerary objects include six pottery 
fragments, 10 flakes, one quartzite grinding stone, five grinding stone 
fragments, four red quartzite mortar fragments, one wooden post 
fragment, five scraps of copper, one hammer stone, one horse tooth, 
three sandstone fragments, one projectile point blank, and two pieces 
of pyrite. These cultural items are identified by the designation UBS 
1991-05.
    In 1966, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Area 662, excavation 326, Feature 584 at 
archeological site 14RP1 by state archeologist Thomas Witty. Twenty 
fragments of human bone representing one adult were found in Kansas 
State Historical Society collections by Robert Hoard in June 2008, and 
include fragments of the temporal, maxilla, maxilla or mandible, 
vertebrae, patella, tarsals, and unidentifiable fragments. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present. These cultural items are identified by the designation UBS 
2018-02.
    Archeological site 14RP1 was occupied between approximately 1770 
and 1810 C.E., and is well known to the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. 
Ethnographically, Zebulon Pike, Pedro (Pierre) Vial, and Lewis and 
Clark all document the presence of the Kitkahaki band of the Pawnee in 
the region encompassing site 14RP1 during the 1770-1810 C.E. timeframe. 
Geographically, the site lies within the historically documented 
territory of the Pawnee (see summaries in Roper 2006 and Wedel 1936; 
1959:40-41, 58-60). Pawnee oral history supports these findings (see 
Weltfish 1965). Furthermore, excavations conducted in the 1960s by the 
Kansas State Historical Society and in 2007 by the University of Kansas 
corroborate the above statements.

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 13 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 130 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 Pawnee 
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 Dr. Robert J. Hoard, State Archeologist, 
Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-
1099, telephone 785-272-8681 Ext. 269, email [email protected], by 
June 14, 2019. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Kansas State Historical Society is responsible for notifying 
the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 25, 2019.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2019-09994 Filed 5-14-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P