[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 114 (Thursday, June 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27651-27652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12470]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0028044; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of Anthropology, 
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist 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 that wish to request 
transfer of control

[[Page 27652]]

of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request to the Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist 
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 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 Department of Anthropology, Southern 
Methodist University at the address in this notice by July 15, 2019.

ADDRESSES: B. Sunday Eiselt, Department of Anthropology, Southern 
Methodist University, 3225 Daniel Avenue, Heroy Hall #450, Dallas, TX 
75205, telephone (214) 768-2915, 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 Department of 
Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from site 41CB53, 
known as the Morgan Jones Site, in Crosby County, TX.
    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 
Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Comanche Nation, 
Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Morgan Jones site (41CB53), in Crosby County, TX. 
The human remains were found inside a rock shelter; caliche stones 
covered the mouth of the burial. The individual appears to be a young 
female, 13-15 years old. The human remains were placed in a flexed 
position on the right side, facing southwest towards the entrance of 
the rock shelter. Portions of the skeleton were missing, including the 
pelvis and most of the vertebrae, due to rodent disturbance. No known 
individuals were identified. The eight associated funerary objects are 
one whelk shell axe, three elk-tooth pendants, one brass buckle, one 
cinch buckle, one lump of blue-green pigment, and one textile. (One 
iron axe and 3,638 glass beads (403 white seed beads, 3,100 light blue 
beads, 131 dark blue beads, two green beads, and two donut-shaped 
beads) associated with this burial are currently missing from the 
collection. These items were transferred to an unknown location in 
Austin, TX, in March 1967, and efforts to find them have been 
unsuccessful.)
    The Morgan Jones site dates from A.D. 1790 to the early 1800s, 
based on the brass cinch buckle found with the burial. According to 
correspondence from Curtis Tunnell (then the Texas State Archeologist), 
the brass cinch buckle is of Spanish-Mexican origin, and dates to the 
early 1800s. The plain brass buckle and axe are English or French. 
Based on the associated funerary objects, the cultural affiliation is 
definitively identified as Comanche.

Determinations Made by the Department of Anthropology, Southern 
Methodist University

    Officials of the Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist 
University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the eight 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 Comanche 
Nation, 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 B. Sunday Eiselt, Department of Anthropology, 
Southern Methodist University, 3225 Daniel Avenue, Heroy Hall #450, 
Dallas, TX 75205, telephone (214) 768-2915, email [email protected], by 
July 15, 2019. After that date, if no additional requestors have come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University is 
responsible for notifying the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: May 28, 2019.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2019-12470 Filed 6-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P