[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57851-57852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22742]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032769; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: American University, Department 
of Anthropology, Washington, DC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Anthropology, American University has 
completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains 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 should submit a 
written request to the Department of Anthropology at American 
University. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
address in this notice by November 18, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Rachel Watkins, Department of Anthropology, 
American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20016, telephone (202) 531-5974, email [email protected]. Due to 
covid restrictions on university mail, requests should be sent to the 
email included in this notice.

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 under 
the control of American University, Department of Anthropology, 
Washington, DC. The human remains were removed from Bison, Perkins 
County, SD.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    An assessment of the human remains was made by the Department of 
Anthropology, American University professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort 
Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1958, human remains representing, at minimum, eight individuals, 
were removed from Site 39SL4 (known as the Sully site) in Bison, 
Perkins County, SD. The circumstances under which these human remains 
came to be in the possession of the Department of Anthropology at 
American University is unknown, but they may have been excavated by 
archeologist Charles McNutt (1928-2017). As a doctoral student, McNutt 
worked for a period on the Missouri River Basin Project that involved 
excavation of the Sully Site. The human remains belong to eight 
individuals of unknown sex and age. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The Sully site is considered to have been the largest earthlodge 
village in the Middle Missouri subarea. It was occupied from about A.D. 
1550 to 1725 and is identified as the likely location of an Arikara 
village.

Determinations Made by the Department of Anthropology, American 
University

    Officials in the Department of Anthropology, American University, 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of eight individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort 
Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Rachel 
Watkins, Department of Anthropology, American University, 4400 
Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone (202) 531-5974, 
email [email protected] by November 18, 2021. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota may proceed.

[[Page 57852]]

    The Department of Anthropology, American University is responsible 
for notifying the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 6, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-22742 Filed 10-18-21; 8:45 am]
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