83 FR 16119 - Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, Omaha, NE, and State Archaeological Research Center, Rapid City, SD

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 72 (April 13, 2018)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District (Omaha District), in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to the Omaha District. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 72 (Friday, April 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16119-16120]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07703]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-25274; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, Omaha District, Omaha, NE, and State Archaeological Research 
Center, Rapid City, SD

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District (Omaha 
District), in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed 
in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects. 
Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request to the Omaha 
District. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control 
of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or 
Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the Omaha District at the 
address in this notice by May 14, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Sandra Barnum, U.S. Army Engineer District, Omaha, ATTN: 
CENWO-PM-AB, 1616 Capital Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102, telephone, (402) 
995-2674, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given in accordance with 
the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District and in the 
physical custody of the South Dakota State Archaeological Research 
Center (SARC), that meet the definition of unassociated funerary 
objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Item(s)

    In 1956, 148 cultural items were removed from site 39CA0006 in 
Buffalo County, SD. Site 39CA0006 was excavated by Dr. David A. 
Baerreis, University of Wisconsin, prior to the creation of the Oahe 
Dam Reservoir. At that time, human remains and funerary objects were 
removed from two features (Feature 2 and Feature 4). The excavation 
records show that the 148 unassociated funerary objects at SARC were 
removed from Feature 2 (which contained two individuals). The current 
location of the human remains from this feature is unknown. The 
cultural items were originally stored at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison until they were moved to the South Dakota State Archaeological 
Research Center (SARC) in 2015. The cultural items are presently 
located at the SARC, under the managerial control of the U.S. Army 
Engineer District, Omaha District. The 148 unassociated funerary 
objects are 1 chalcedony biface knife, 103 ceramic body sherds, 19 rim 
sherds, 2 faunal bone awls, 1 unidentifiable faunal bone fragment, 4 
faunal bone hoes, 1 faunal bone knife, 2 modified faunal bones, 1 
biface flake, 1 biface knife, 3 chipped stones, 2 projectile points, 3 
scrapers, 3 shaft abraders, 1 uniface flake, and 1 catlinite pipe 
fragment.
    Site 39CA0006 is a fortified village and is believed to represent 
the Extended Coalescent (A.D. 1500-1675) because of the mix of European 
and Native elements among the objects, including brass elements and 
glass beads, as well as the presence of flexed primary inhumations and 
log coverings, which represent a burial practice of the Akaska Focus. 
Based on oral tradition, historic accounts, archeological evidence, 
geographical location, and physical anthropological interpretations, 
the Extended Coalescent variants are believed to be ancestral Arikara. 
The Arikara are represented today by the Three Affiliated Tribes of the 
Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

Determinations Made by the Omaha District

    Officials of the Omaha District have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 148 cultural items 
described above 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the 
Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Ms. Sandra Barnum, U.S. Army Engineer 
District, Omaha, ATTN: CENWO-PM-AB, 1616 Capital Avenue, Omaha, NE 
68102, telephone, (402) 995-2674, email [email protected], 
by May 14, 2018. After that date, if no additional claimants have come 
forward, transfer of control of the unassociated funerary objects to 
the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North 
Dakota.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, is responsible 
for notifying the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North

[[Page 16120]]

Dakota, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 21, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-07703 Filed 4-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P