[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 174 (Monday, September 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50901-50902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19691]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032527; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of 
Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (Museum) at 
the University of Oklahoma 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 
Museum. 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 Museum at the address in this notice by 
October 13, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Marc Levine, Associate Curator of 
Archaeology, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University 
of Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, OK 73072-7029, telephone 
(405) 325-1994, 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 Sam Noble Oklahoma 
Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
McCurtain County, OK.
    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 Sam 
Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and 
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1941, human remains representing, at minimum, 10 individuals 
were removed from the Clement 1 site (34Mc8) in McCurtain County, OK. 
This mound and midden site was excavated in 1941 by the Works Progress 
Administration, and the excavated

[[Page 50902]]

materials were transferred to the Museum the same year. The human 
remains include one fragmentary skeleton of an adult female, 35-50 
years old; one fragmentary skeleton of an adult male, 35-50 years old; 
one fragmentary skeleton of an adult probable male, 35-50 years old; 
one fragmentary skeleton of an adult of indeterminate sex, 20-35 years 
old; two fragmentary skeletons of adults of indeterminate sex, each 
more than 20 years old; one fragmentary skeleton of an adult of 
indeterminate sex, 35-50 years old; two fragmentary skeletons of adults 
greater of indeterminate sex, each more than 50 years old; and one 
fragmentary set of teeth belonging to an adult of indeterminate sex and 
age. No known individuals were identified.
    The 1,103 associated funerary objects are: Four Avery Engraved type 
ceramic bowls, one Avery Engraved type ceramic bottle, 162 Avery 
Engraved type potsherds, two Emory Punctate type ceramic jars with 
castellated rims, one Simms Engraved type ceramic carinated bowl, 61 
Simms Engraved type ceramic potsherds, six decorated ceramic bowls, one 
decorated ceramic jar, one decorated ceramic bottle, one decorated 
ceramic vessel with four applique nodes with rattles, one decorated 
ceramic vessel with four animal effigies on the rim, four undecorated 
ceramic bowls, one undecorated ceramic jar, one undecorated ceramic red 
olla vessel, two ceramic rattle fragments, 390 decorated potsherds, 352 
undecorated potsherds, three ceramic pipe fragments, 31 small corner-
notched projectile points, two Gary type projectile points, one chipped 
stone flake, one fragment of fire cracked rock, one stone celt, four 
pigment stones, one unmodified stone, two copper covered shell 
earspools, four faunal bone fragments, 17 shell beads, one engraved 
shell gorget, four engraved shell fragments, 26 shell fragments, four 
wood fragments, five charred corn cob fragments, one seed bead with 
sediment, two soil samples with possible textile matting, one charcoal 
sample from a vessel, and one daub fragment.
    While the Clement 1 site (34Mc8) includes both historic and 
prehistoric components, all the human remains and associated funerary 
objects listed in this notice belong to the prehistoric component. 
Based on an analysis of the diagnostic cultural materials from the site 
(chipped and ground stone, ceramics, bone tools, and ornaments), as 
well as radiocarbon dates obtained from more recent investigations 
there, the prehistoric component of the site dates to A.D. 1200-1500. 
Archeological, oral traditional, and post-contact European historical 
information reasonably show that a cultural affiliation exists between 
the earlier group connected to the human remains and associated 
funerary objects at the Clement I site and the present-day Caddo Nation 
of Oklahoma.

Determinations Made by the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History 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(3)(A), the 1,103 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 Caddo 
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. Marc Levine, Associate Curator of 
Archaeology, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University 
of Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, OK 73072-7029, telephone 
(405) 325-1994, email [email protected], by October 13, 2021. 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 may proceed.
    The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is responsible for 
notifying the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and The Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 25, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-19691 Filed 9-10-21; 8:45 am]
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