[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 160 (Thursday, August 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40853-40854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15965]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6434; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040844; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State Historical Society, 
Topeka, 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), the Kansas State Historical Society (KSHS) 
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 September 22, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Dr. Nicole Klarmann, 
Kansas State Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66615-
1099, 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 
KSHS, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, 
including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or 
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, four individuals have been 
identified from Ingalls Mound (14AT316) in Atchison County, KS (UBS 
1991-91). The 14 associated funerary objects are pottery sherds, a 
ground stone axe, rock, and a basalt ground stone pendant. The remains 
and objects were conveyed to KSHS in 1907.
    Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been 
identified from Doniphan County, KS (UBS 1989-16B). No associated 
funerary objects are present. Provenience information is unknown. The 
remains were exposed to glue, then de-glued using acetone, and then 
reconstructed with adhesive cyanoacrylate ester.
    Human remains representing, at least, 32 individuals have been 
identified from Matter Mound (14JW303) in Jewell County, KS (UBS 1990-
30). The 983 associated funerary objects are shell beads, animal bone 
beads, chipped stone tools, a pebble, and shell fragments. The human 
remains and objects are from a rock-filled burial mound first disturbed 
by pothunters and then excavated by KSHS. Some of the remains were 
encased in plaster and found to have glue present.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Jewell County, KS (UBS 2001-13A). No associated 
funerary objects are present. The provenience is uncertain, however, 
the museum exhibit said these remains were from the `last Indian raid 
in KS.'
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from site 14NH4 in Nemaha County, KS (UBS 2022-05). The two 
associated funerary objects are animal bones. The human and animal 
remains were found in the bed of Spring Creek and given to the local 
sheriff.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from the Krob site (14RP319) in Republic County, KS (UBS 
1989-16A). No associated funerary objects are present. The remains were 
found in front of a farmhouse by the landowner and at some point were 
reconstructed with glue. Shellac is also present.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from site 14RP305 in Republic County, KS (UBS 2000-17). No 
associated funerary objects are present. The remains were disturbed by 
cultivation and removed by KSHS after reports of bone being found 
scattered across a field.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from site 14RP64 in Republic County, KS (UBS 2021-10). The 
eight associated funerary objects are pottery sherds. The remains were 
found on a terrace above Salt Creek and were then conveyed to KSHS.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Republic County (UBS 1999-23). No associated funerary 
objects are present. These remains were found on a sandbar on the 
Republican River.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Smith County, KS (UBS 1989-18K). No associated funerary 
objects are present. This burial was disturbed by a bulldozer and then 
removed and taken to the Sternberg Museum.

[[Page 40854]]

    Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been 
identified from Marshall County, KS (UBS 2010-02) and Washington 
County, KS (UBS 2020-03). No associated funerary objects are present. 
These remains have minimal information and are limited to county-level 
provenience.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from an unknown location (UBS 2016-05). No associated 
funerary objects are present. These remains were removed from the 
property of an archeologist after her death. No other provenience 
information is available.
    Unless noted above, no known hazardous substances were used to 
treat any of the human remains or associated funerary objects.

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 KSHS has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 48 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 1,007 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 connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Pawnee 
Nation of Oklahoma.

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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 
11, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the KSHS 
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 KSHS is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to 
the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice and any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: August 6, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-15965 Filed 8-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P