[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44701-44702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11090]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037942; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kent State University, Department 
of Anthropology, Kent, OH

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 Kent State University, Department of 
Anthropology, has completed an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects and has determined that there is cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects 
and the 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 June 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Richard Meindl Ph.D., Kent State University, P.O. Box 5190 
Lowry Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44240, telephone (330)-672-
4363, 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 
Kent State University, Department of Anthropology, 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 16 individuals have been reasonably identified. The 167 
associated funerary objects are two painted turtle shells, shell beads, 
ceramic vessel sherds, fragments of ground stone tools, chert 
fragments, and animal bones (some worked into tools, and some not 
worked). The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed 
from the Kramer Village Site (33R033) in Ross County, OH, during the 
field season from 1984-1986. Many of the human remains uncovered are 
fragmentary, and determining age or sex of such individuals was not 
possible. Since 1992, all burials and their

[[Page 44702]]

associated funerary objects were curated with the utmost care and 
placed in a secure area with access granted only to those working on 
the repatriation effort. The objects were found either with, or in 
close proximity to, human remains. Several objects were included in 
this inventory although they were collected on the surface of the 
ground requiring no excavation but are believed to be of cultural 
significance.

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

    The Kent State University has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 16 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 167 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 reasonable connection between the human remains 
and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the 
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; and the Shawnee 
Tribe.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary 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 June 20, 2024. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, the Kent State 
University, Department of Anthropology, 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 Kent State 
University Department of Anthropology 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: May 9, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-11090 Filed 5-20-24; 8:45 am]
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