[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17359-17360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06433]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0029884; 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 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 April 27, 2020.

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 Jordan Farm 
(41CO3) in Cooke County, TX; Kirby Place (41KF9) in Kaufman County, TX; 
Upper Rockwall (41RW2) in Rockwall County, TX; and Lost Ridge (Tick 
Site; 41DT6) in Delta 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 Caddo Nation of 
Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & 
Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    The Dallas Archeological Society (DAS) was a group of avocational 
archeologists in the Dallas, Texas area. Their purpose was to 
systematically study, investigate, and publish on local archeology, 
paleontology, and geology. The DAS assisted on several professional 
excavations in North Texas, including the survey of sites in Collin, 
Dallas, Kaufman, and Rockwall Counties, TX, prior to their being 
flooded by the construction of the Forney Reservoir, now known as Lake 
Ray Hubbard, located on the East Fork of the Trinity River. Members of 
the DAS had prior knowledge of many of the sites in the area to be 
inundated, some of which had been extensively surface collected prior 
to the survey. One of the founders of the DAS, R. King Harris, was the 
original collections curator of SMU's Archaeological Research 
Collections. In 1974, Harris donated human remains from several burials 
to the Department of Anthropology that had been excavated during DAS-
assisted projects in the Forney area.
    In 1949, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were

[[Page 17360]]

removed from the Jordan Farm site in Cooke County, TX. Burial 3 is a 
male 40+ years old. The individual was buried flexed and laying on his 
back, with his knees drawn up and hands placed under the chin at the 
neck. Only the skull is present in SMU collections. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1949, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Kirby Place site (41KF9) in Kaufman County, TX. 
Burial 1 is a 50+ year old man who was buried flexed. The human remains 
are mostly complete but fragmentary and show evidence of mild osteitis 
and periostitis. No known individuals were identified. The one 
associated funerary object is a bone bead.
    In 1948, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Upper Rockwall site (41RW2) in Rockwall County, 
TX. The individual is a female 40+ years old who was buried flexed and 
laying on her right side, with her head to the west and her hands in 
front of her face. The human remains consist of the skull, femurs, and 
tibiae and show evidence of periostitis and osteitis. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1955, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Lost Ridge Site, also known as the Tick Site, 
(41DT6) in Delta County, TX. The individual is a 30-40 year old male 
who was tightly flexed and laying on his right side, with his head to 
the west and face to the south. The human remains, which are in good 
condition, include the skull, femurs, tibiae, and a fibula, and show 
evidence of periostitis and osteitis. No known individuals were 
identified. (Five associated funerary objects were found with the 
burial, but were not donated to SMU).
    All four sites date to the Wylie Focus/Late Prehistoric, A.D. 1300-
1600. A cultural affiliation exists between the earlier group 
identified at the sites and both the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and the 
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma.

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 four 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.

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 
April 27, 2020. 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 Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University 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: February 19, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-06433 Filed 3-26-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P