83 FR 17441 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 76 (April 19, 2018)

The Wisconsin Historical Society has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the Wisconsin Historical Society. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17441-17442]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08177]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-25290; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Wisconsin Historical Society, 
Madison, WI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Wisconsin Historical Society has completed an inventory of 
human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Representatives of any Indian 
Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice 
that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
Wisconsin Historical Society. If no additional requestors come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in 
this notice may proceed.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice that wish to request 
transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to the Wisconsin Historical Society at the address in this 
notice by May 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Jennifer Kolb, Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State 
Street, Madison, WI 53706, telephone (608) 264-6434, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Wisconsin 
Historical Society, Madison, WI. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Dane, Richland, and Sauk Counties, 
WI.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). The determinations in this notice are the sole 
responsibility of the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has 
control of the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
Wisconsin Historical Society professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; 
Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior 
Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; 
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin; and Upper Sioux Community, 
Minnesota.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1958, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Blackhawk Country Club (47-DA-0131) in Dane County, 
WI. The human remains were excavated from pit fill by Warren Wittry of 
the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) from the panther mound, which he 
referred to as the ``Mayland Mound,'' named after the then-landowner. 
The human remains were found in the collections in 2013, were 
originally cataloged as faunal bones, and are too fragmentary to 
determine age or sex. No known individuals were identified. The four 
associated funerary objects are one chert flake, two seed fragments, 
and a soil sample.
    Between 1960 and 1961, human remains representing, at minimum, 132 
individuals were removed from the Price III (47-RI-0004) in Richland 
County, WI. The site was investigated during the 1960-1961 Highway 60 
relocation project as the area was slated for destruction. The 
Wisconsin Historical Society led the investigations under a cooperative 
agreement with the Wisconsin Highway Commission. A total of 26 features 
were exposed, 22 of which were burial features. Of the remaining four 
features, three may have been burial pits that were destroyed from 
previous plowing activity, but no materials of any kind were recovered 
from them. The human remains recovered from the 22 burial pits 
represent 33 adult males, 10 adult females, 43 adults of indeterminate 
sex, 30 juveniles of indeterminate sex, 6 infants, and 10 individuals 
of indeterminate age and sex. No known individuals were identified. The 
27 associated funerary objects are five projectile points, two bone 
awls, one copper fish hook, one perforated bear canine, ten groups of 
tool debitage, three

[[Page 17442]]

groups of stone samples, three biface fragments, one ceramic sherd, and 
one stone scrapper.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Neefe Mounds (47-RI-0059) in Richland 
County, WI. The site was first reported to the Wisconsin Historical 
Society by T. Orion in 1907, who observed two conical mounds that were 
under cultivation. Human remains representing one adult male from an 
unknown location within the site were donated to the Wisconsin 
Historical Society by a Mr. Sheldon Bartel at an unknown date. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
group of daub fragments.
    In 1977, human remains representing, at minimum, seven individuals 
were removed from the Rehbein I Site (47-RI-0081) in Richland County, 
WI. Excavations took place at the site in 1977 and included 
investigation of Mounds 1-6. The majority of the human remains 
recovered were reinterred under the reconstructed mounds. For an 
unknown reason, human remains representing six adults of indeterminate 
sex and one infant were excluded from reburial and are in the 
possession of the Wisconsin Historical Society. No known individuals 
were identified. The seven associated funerary objects are one ceramic 
vessel, two groups of ceramic sherds, three mussel shells, and one 
group of bark fragments.
    In 1960, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from Sobek Mounds (47-RI-0001) in Richland County, WI. The 
site was investigated by the Wisconsin Historical Society in 
cooperation with the Department of Transportation. Three of the mounds 
(Mounds 1-3) were located in the right-of-way for the relocation of 
Highway 60 and would be destroyed. The Wisconsin Historical Society 
placed a center-line trench through each mound and recovered human 
remains representing an adult female and an adult male from Mound 1 and 
an adult female from Mound 3. During an inventory of the collections 
from the site in 2007, additional human remains were found from a 
plowzone context. The human remains from the plowzone are too 
fragmentary to affect the MNI for the site. No known individuals were 
identified. The 23 associated funerary objects are one quartzite 
hammerstone, one fragment of hematite, twelve groups of chert debitage, 
one chert biface, three charcoal fragments, two ceramic sherds, and 
three groups of sandstone fragments.
    In 1955 and 1957, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Raddatz Rockshelter (47-SK-0005) in Sauk 
County, WI. The site was investigated by Warren Wittry of the Wisconsin 
Historical Society in 1955 and 1957 in order to gain a better 
understanding of the chronological depth of prehistoric occupation in 
Wisconsin. His excavations covered a 675 square foot area that he 
estimated represented 75 percent of the rockshelter. In 2012, all of 
the artifacts from the site were reinventoried by the Wisconsin 
Historical Society and human remains were identified. Skeletal analysis 
in 2016 determined the human remains represent a juvenile of 
indeterminate sex. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the Wisconsin Historical Society

    Officials of the Wisconsin Historical Society have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on Wisconsin Historical 
Society records, burial location, archeological context, oral 
histories, and skeletal analysis.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 145 individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 62 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian Tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and 
the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the 
Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Ho-Chunk 
Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization 
not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control 
of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Jennifer 
Kolb, Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 
53706, telephone (608) 264-6434, email 
[email protected], by May 21, 2018. After that date, 
if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Ho-Chunk 
Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska may proceed.
    The Wisconsin Historical Society is responsible for notifying the 
Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Ho-Chunk Nation of 
Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of 
the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Menominee Indian Tribe of 
Wisconsin; Upper Sioux Community, Minnesota; and the Winnebago Tribe of 
Nebraska that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 22, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-08177 Filed 4-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P