[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75655-75657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26794]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034973; 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: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural 
History has completed an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
Delaware and Le Flore Counties, OK.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after January 9, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 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: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. The National Park Service 
is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional 
information on the determinations in this notice,

[[Page 75656]]

including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or 
related records held by the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural 
History.

Description

    In 1940, human remains representing, at minimum, seven individuals 
were removed from the Bennet-Monroe site (34Lf26) in Le Flore County, 
OK. The site was excavated by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) 
in April and May of 1940, and the associated finds were transferred to 
the Museum in 1947. The human remains include one child, four adult 
males, one adult female, and one adult of indeterminate sex. No known 
individuals were identified. The eight associated funerary objects are 
five faunal bone fragments, two projectile points, and one grog-
tempered sherd. The human remains and associated funerary objects from 
site 34Lf26 were interred during the Woodland Period (300 B.C.-A.D. 
1000).
    In 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from the Ballard 1 site (34Dl27) in Delaware County, OK. 
This is a rock shelter site located along a tributary of the Neosho 
River. It was excavated by the WPA in 1938, and the associated finds 
were donated to the Museum that same year. The fragmentary human 
remains include two children, both 4-6 years old, and one adult of 
indeterminate sex. No known individuals were identified. The 192 
associated funerary objects are 132 animal bone fragments and 60 shell 
fragments. The human remains and associated funerary objects from site 
34Dl27 were interred during the Woodland Period (300 B.C.-A.D. 1000).
    In 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from the Phillips site (34Lf34) in Le Flore County, OK. 
The human remains were discovered in the Museum collection in 1995, and 
no other information about them is available. The human remains include 
one adult female 35-50 years old and one adult male at least 50 years 
old. No known individuals were identified. The 16 associated funerary 
objects are 15 faunal bones and one mussel shell. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects from 34Lf34 were interred during the 
Woodland Period (300 B.C.-A.D. 1000).
    In 1947, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from the Ward site (34Lf10) in Le Flore County, OK. The 
site was excavated by the University of Oklahoma in 1947, and the 
associated finds were transferred to the Museum that same year. This 
type of site, often referred to as a ``black midden site,'' represents 
the remains of a village. It includes low mounds with dense 
accumulations of occupational debris, dark sediment, and burials. The 
human remains include two adult males and one adult of indeterminate 
sex. No known individuals were identified. The 18 associated funerary 
objects are one undecorated ceramic sherd, three chipped stone bifaces, 
three straight stem projectile points, five contracting stem projectile 
points, one expanding stem projectile point, one unidentified worked 
stone, one antler fragment, and three animal bone fragments. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects from site 34Lf10 were interred 
during the Woodland Period (300 B.C.-A.D. 1000).
    In 1940, human remains representing, at minimum, 19 individuals 
were removed from the Redwine 2 site (34Lf15) in Le Flore County, OK. 
This mound site, located on the north and south banks of Fourche Maline 
Creek, was excavated by the WPA in 1940. In 1947, the site was recorded 
by the University of Oklahoma and the human remains and archeological 
materials were transferred to the Museum. The human remains include one 
fetus, one infant, five children, four adolescents, and eight adults. 
No known individuals were identified. The 26 associated funerary 
objects are eight animal bone beads, nine animal bone fragments, three 
stone projectile points, one bag of burned clay, two ceramic sherds, 
and three unmodified shell fragments. The Redwine 2 site dates to the 
Woodland Period (300 B.C. to A.D. 1000), more specifically, to the 
Fourche Maline phase (A.D. 300-800) according to the chronology 
established for eastern Oklahoma.
    In 1965, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Sugar Creek site (34Lf1) in Le Flore County, OK. 
The site had been disturbed by agricultural activities, bulldozing, and 
looting. Excavations at 34Lf1 were carried out by the University of 
Oklahoma in 1965 and by the Oklahoma Archeological Survey in 1981. The 
associated finds were brought to the Museum immediately following both 
projects. The human remains include one adult of indeterminate sex, 20 
years or older. No known individual was identified. The 103 associated 
funerary objects are one quartz crystal, three projectile points, one 
chipped stone core, 80 stone flakes, one small bag of highly fragmented 
copper, one potsherd, nine animal bone fragments, and seven shell 
fragments. The Sugar Creek site dates to the Woodland (300 B.C.-A.D. 
1000) and Mississippian (A.D. 1000-1500) Periods.
    In 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from the Jones site (34Lf75) in Le Flore County, OK. The 
site was excavated by the WPA in 1939 and the excavated finds were 
transferred to the Museum that same year. The human remains include an 
adult male and an adult female. No known individuals were identified. 
The 20 associated funerary objects are 18 ceramic potsherds, one 
charred turtle shell fragment, and one piece of charred corn. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects from site 34Lf75 were interred 
during the Mississippian Period (A.D. 1000-1500).
    In 1937, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from the Ward Mound 2 site (34Lf37) in Le Flore County, 
OK. This mound, located immediately south of Craig Mound (34Lf40), is 
associated with the larger Spiro Mounds complex. The mound was 
excavated by the WPA in 1937 and the associated finds were turned over 
to the museum that same year. The human remains include three adults 
over 20 years of age and of indeterminate sex. No known individuals 
were identified. The 15 associated funerary objects are two fragments 
of red pigment, one fragment of white pigment, and 12 unmodified stone 
pebbles. The Ward Mound 2 site dates to the Mississippian Period (A.D. 
1000-1500), more specifically, to the Evans and Harlan phases (A.D. 
1000-1250) according to the chronology established for eastern 
Oklahoma.
    In 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed from the Littlefield 1 site (34Lf60) in Le Flore County, 
OK. This village site was excavated by the WPA in 1938, and the 
associated finds were brought to the museum that same year. The human 
remains include two males, one female, one late adolescent of 
indeterminate sex, and one adult of indeterminate sex. No known 
individuals were identified. The 72 associated funerary objects are one 
partially complete ceramic vessel, 32 potsherds, two burned clay 
fragments, one hammerstone, one bone awl, 34 turtle bones, and one deer 
jawbone. The human remains and associated funerary objects from site 
34Lf60 were interred during the Mississippian Period (A.D. 1000-1500), 
more specifically, during the Spiro (A.D. 1350-1450) and Fort Coffee 
(A.D. 1450-1600) phases according to the chronology established for 
eastern Oklahoma.
    In 1939, human remains representing, at minimum, 20 individuals 
were removed from the Braden School House site (34Lf77) in Le Flore 
County, OK.

[[Page 75657]]

This site was excavated in 1939 by the WPA and the finds were turned 
over to the museum that same year. The human remains include two 
children and 18 adults of indeterminate sex. No known individuals were 
identified. The 48 associated funerary objects are 10 ceramic vessels, 
one ceramic pipe, and 37 potsherds. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects from site 34Lf77 were interred during the Spiro (A.D. 
1350-1450) and Fort Coffee (A.D. 1450-1600) phases.
    In 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals 
were removed from the Bowman 1 site (34Lf42) in Le Flore County, OK. 
This village site was located on the south bank of the Arkansas River, 
about one and a half miles west of the Spiro Mounds group. Prior to 
excavation by the WPA in 1938, the site had been subject to extensive 
looting. The finds from the 1938 excavation were turned over to the 
Museum that same year. The human remains include two adults of 
indeterminate sex. No known individuals were identified. The 932 
associated funerary objects are one decorated bowl with one bird effigy 
on each handle, one decorated bowl with four pinched nodes and a 
decorated neck, one decorated bowl with a scalloped rim, one decorated 
bottle incised with circles, one decorated jar with incised triangles 
on the neck, one decorated bottle, 22 undecorated bowls, three 
undecorated bottles, one dipper without the handle, three undecorated 
vessels, one pipe, 877 potsherds, one daub fragment, seven projectile 
points, one stone knife, one chipped stone axe, three stone bifaces, 
two groundstone mano fragments, one animal bone bead, one turtle bone 
shell fragment, and two animal bones. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects from site 34Lf42 were interred during the Spiro (A.D. 
1350-1450) and Fort Coffee (A.D. 1450-1600) phases.
    In 1938, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 individuals 
were removed from the Choates 2 site (34Lf62) in Le Flore County, OK. 
This site was excavated by the WPA in 1938 and the associated finds 
were brought to the museum later that year. The human remains include 
two neonates, three infants, five children, and one adult. No known 
individuals were identified. The 251 associated funerary objects are 16 
Woodward Plain potsherds, 11 Poteau Plain potsherds, one decorated rim 
potsherd, 122 undecorated potsherds, two daub fragments, one ceramic 
pipe fragment, one hammerstone, one complete projectile point, three 
projectile point fragments, 28 turtle bone fragments, one antler 
fragment, three burned animal bone fragments, 45 animal bone fragments, 
one lead ore fragment, seven modified mussel shell fragments, and eight 
unmodified mussel shell fragments. The Choates 2 site dates to the 
Mississippian Period (A.D. 1000-1400), more specifically, to the Norman 
phase (A.D. 1250-1350) according to the chronology developed for 
eastern Oklahoma.

Cultural Affiliation

    The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice 
are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, 
peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity 
between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures 
and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The 
following types of information were used to reasonably trace the 
relationship: archeological, geographical, and historical, as well as 
information provided through tribal consultation.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History has 
determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 78 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 1,701 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.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and 
the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco, & Tawakonie), 
Oklahoma.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after January 9, 2023. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, the Sam Noble 
Oklahoma Museum of Natural History must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single 
request and not competing requests. The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of 
Natural History is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the 
Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10, 
and 10.14.

    Dated: November 30, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-26794 Filed 12-8-22; 8:45 am]
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