[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13751-13752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05063]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0033500; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Southern 
Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Southern Mississippi has completed an 
inventory of human remains, 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 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 University 
of Southern Mississippi. 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 
University of Southern Mississippi at the address in this notice by 
April 11, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marie Elaine Danforth, Professor of 
Anthropology, School of Social Science and Global Studies, University 
of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5108, Hattiesburg, MS 
39406-0001, telephone (601) 266-5629, 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 under 
the control of the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS. 
The human remains are presumed to have been removed from eastern Texas.
    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

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of Southern Mississippi professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    Sometime prior to 1994, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in eastern Texas. The 
human remains were brought to the Mississippi Petrified Forest Museum 
in Madison County, MS, where they were on display for an unknown number 
of years. In 1994, the human remains were transferred to the University 
of Southern Mississippi. The nearly complete skeleton belongs to a 
young adult female, and the human remains most likely predate European 
contact. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The human remains were determined to be Native American based on 
facial and dental characteristics. No documentation for these human 
remains is known to exist. Instead, their provenience and date are 
based upon oral information provided by a longtime administrator at the 
museum. They are most likely culturally affiliated with the Caddo 
Nation of Oklahoma based on that Indian Tribe's traditional association 
with eastern Texas. This association is supported by information 
provided by a representative of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma during 
consultation.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from sites in Oklahoma and eastern Texas. The 
human remains belong to two adults of indeterminate sex. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    No information concerning how these human remains entered the 
university's archeological holdings is known to exist. The human 
remains were found in a box labeled ``Bentley Collection from Texas.'' 
Notations on the bags in the box read ``Fannin City, Texas'' and 
``LeFlore, OK; Great Temple Mound.'' The human remains of these two 
individuals have been identified as Native American based on the bag 
labels, especially the one referencing the Great Temple Mound, a part 
of Spiro Mounds in Oklahoma dating to A.D. 850-1450. There is no Fannin 
City in Texas, but there is a Fannin County in the far northeastern 
part of the state on the Oklahoma border. Based on the well-accepted 
cultural association of Spiro Mounds with the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, 
as well as that Indian Tribe's traditional ties with eastern Texas, 
these human remains most likely are culturally affiliated with the 
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma. This association is supported by information 
provided by a representative of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma during 
consultation.

Determinations Made by the University of Southern Mississippi

    Officials of the University of Southern Mississippi have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three 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

[[Page 13752]]

remains 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Marie 
Elaine Danforth, Professor of Anthropology, School of Social Science 
and Global Studies, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College 
Drive #5108, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, telephone (601) 266-5629, 
email [email protected], by April 11, 2022. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma may proceed.
    The University of Southern Mississippi is responsible for notifying 
the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 2, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-05063 Filed 3-9-22; 8:45 am]
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