[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26910-26911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08048]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037761; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State University, 
Manhattan, KS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Kansas State University 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.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after May 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Megan Williamson, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and 
Social Work, Kansas State University, 204 Waters Hall, 1603 Old Claflin 
Place, Manhattan, KS 66506-4003, telephone (785) 532-6005, 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 Kansas 
State University, and additional information on the determinations in 
this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Based on the information available, human remains representing, at 
least, 13 individuals have been reasonably identified. The 19,174 
associated funerary objects are 8,397 unmodified stone, 7,004, burned/
unidentifiable bone fragments, 2,900 chipped stone debris, 260 bone 
beads, 177 debitage, 142 shell beads, 112 faunal, 63 projectile points 
(whole & fragmented), 35 ceramic sherds, 17 shell fragments, 16 
scrapers, eight worked chert, seven glass fragments, four limestone 
pieces, four staples, three pellets, two bullets, two quartzite, two 
spokeshaves, two bifaces, two core fragments, two bullet casings, two 
unidentifiable metal fragments, two bullets, one bolt, one plastic 
handle, one baseball, one fossilized shell, one Kansas pipestone, one 
knife fragment, one chopper, one drill fragment, and one Minnie ball. 
Missing from the original inventory above are 44 projectile points, 
three projectile point fragments, one Kansas pipestone, and two ceramic 
sherds. It is believed that these items were unlawfully removed by non-
NAGPRA and departmental staff before the assemblage was relocated to 
our current more secure facilities.
    The 13 individuals were removed from Geary County, KS, during the 
1970s. Excavated by Kansas State University under the direction of Dr. 
Patricia J. O'Brien in May & June of 1974. The excavation of Witt Mound 
2 was later completed in May/June of 1979. The removed assemblage has 
since been under the stewardship of Kansas State University since then.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical 
location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    Kansas State University has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 13 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 19,174 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a reasonable connection between the human remains 
and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Kaw 
Nation, Oklahoma; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; The Osage Nation; Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; 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

[[Page 26911]]

objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative 
identified in this notice under 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 May 16, 2024. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, Kansas State 
University 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. Kansas State University is responsible for sending 
a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: April 9, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-08048 Filed 4-15-24; 8:45 am]
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