[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 63980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17266]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038406; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Shoshone National Forest, Cody, WY

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 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Shoshone National Forest has completed an inventory of 
associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after September 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Ken Coffin, Forest Supervisor, Shoshone National Forest, 808 
Meadow Lane Avenue, Cody, WY 82414, telephone (307) 578-5187, 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 
Shoshone National Forest, 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

    This notice supplements the original 2006 Notice of Inventory 
Completion published in the Federal Register (71 FR 9148-9149, February 
22, 2006), which identifies human remains representing one individual 
and one associated funerary object (a mountain sheep hide). Following 
re-examination of materials collected from level 3/cultural level 36 by 
members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming, the associated funerary objects have been determined to 
include an additional 226 cultural items. The 226 associated funerary 
objects are animal parts including bone, hair, horn, antler, teeth and 
hide; arrow shafts with wrapped sinew; grass bundles and grass moccasin 
liners; burial matrix and stones; calcite crystals; charred wood 
fragments; coiled basketry fragments; knotted cordage netting; 
feathers, unworked and modified; unidentified fibers; lithic materials; 
moccasin fragments; pigment; wood fragments; reed fragments; and seeds. 
These were removed from the Mummy Cave site in Park County, Wyoming 
between 1963 and 1966 by Harold McCracken and have been curated at the 
Buffalo Bill Center of the West (previously known as the Buffalo Bill 
Historical Center) since their removal.

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 associated funerary objects 
described in this notice.

Determinations

    The Shoshone National Forest has determined that:
     The 226 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 associated 
funerary objects described in this notice and the Eastern Shoshone 
Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming and the Shoshone-Bannock 
Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the 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 associated funerary objects in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after September 5, 2024. If competing 
requests for repatriation are received, the Shoshone National Forest 
must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the associated funerary objects are 
considered a single request and not competing requests. The Shoshone 
National Forest 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: July 26, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-17266 Filed 8-5-24; 8:45 am]
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