[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 135 (Monday, July 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 38115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15251]



[[Page 38115]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032262; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Illinois State Museum, 
Springfield, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Illinois State Museum has completed an inventory of 
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 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 associated funerary objects should submit 
a written request to the Illinois State Museum. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the 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 associated funerary objects should 
submit a written request with information in support of the request to 
the Illinois State Museum at the address in this notice by August 18, 
2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Brooke Morgan, Illinois State 
Museum Research & Collections Center, 1011 East Ash Street, 
Springfield, IL 62703, telephone (217) 785-8930, 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 associated funerary 
objects under the control of the Illinois State Museum, Springfield, 
IL. The associated funerary objects were removed from the River L'Abbe 
Mission site (11MS2), Madison County, IL.
    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 
associated funerary objects. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the associated funerary objects was made 
by the Illinois State Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Associated Funerary Objects

    Between 1969-1972, associated funerary objects were removed from 
the River L'Abbe Mission site (11MS2), Madison County, IL, during 
excavations conducted by Melvin L. Fowler and Elizabeth D. Benchley of 
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Charles J. Bareis of the 
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The human remains with which 
these funerary objects are associated, together with additional 
associated funerary objects, were previously listed in a Notice of 
Inventory Completion published in the Federal Register (62 FR 48303-
48304, September 15, 1997), and were repatriated to the Peoria Tribe of 
Indians of Oklahoma. Subsequently, during a routine check of Illinois 
State Museum collections in advance of exhibit preparations, the 
associated funerary objects listed in this notice were found.
    The 274 associated funerary objects derive from five burial 
features. From burial feature 118 is one lot of soil. From burial 
feature 119 are one lot of soil, one lot of gravel, one lot of 
charcoal, one lot of daub, 35 animal bones, 23 pieces of limestone and 
rough rock, 47 chert flakes, 107 pottery fragments, two galena cubes, 
one piece of pigment, and one glass sphere. From burial feature 130 are 
one lot of wood and charcoal, two pieces of chert, two animal bone 
fragments, five pieces of daub, one pottery fragment, four pieces of 
iron, and 15 rocks. From burial feature 131 are two shell fragments, 
one piece of chert, one piece of daub, and 14 pottery fragments. From 
burial feature 133 are one lot of daub, one lot of burned clay, two 
lots of rock, and one animal bone.
    The River L'Abbe Mission site is located on the first terrace of 
Monks Mound, a former Mississippian temple mound on the Mississippi 
River floodplain. River L'Abbe was a French colonial mission consisting 
of a small chapel and adjoining cemetery that was established in 1735 
to quell hostilities between French settlers and the Cahokia Nation. 
The Cahokia lived nearby and utilized this cemetery until the village's 
abandonment in 1752 when, facing incursion from other Tribes, many of 
the Cahokia fled south to the Fort de Chartres area to live with their 
Michigamea relatives. Based on the site context and historic documents, 
the associated funerary objects are affiliated with the 1735-1752 
Cahokia occupation. The Cahokia were part of the Illinois Confederation 
of Tribes, which also included the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, and 
Tamaroa. Their present-day descendants are the Peoria Tribe of Indians 
of Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by the Illinois State Museum

    Officials of the Illinois State Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 274 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 
associated funerary objects and the Peoria Tribe of Indians 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 associated funerary objects should 
submit a written request with information in support of the request to 
Dr. Brooke Morgan, Illinois State Museum Research & Collections Center, 
1011 East Ash Street, Springfield, IL 62703, telephone (217) 785-8930, 
email [email protected], by August 18, 2021. After that date, 
if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of 
the associated funerary objects to the Peoria Tribe of Indians of 
Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Illinois State Museum is responsible for notifying the Peoria 
Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 7, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-15251 Filed 7-16-21; 8:45 am]
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