Notice of Inventory Completion: Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20484-20485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07373]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7091; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042605; 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 May 18, 2026.

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 kshs.nagpra@ks.gov.

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, one individual have been 
identified from Dickinson County, KS (UBS 2010-10). The 300 associated 
funerary objects are shell, bone, daub, ceramics, chipped and ground 
stone tools, cores, and historic artifacts. A human tooth was found in 
this collection from a Middle Ceramic campsite. The remains and items 
were given to KSHS in 2010.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Lyon County, KS (UBS 2007-01). No associated funerary 
objects are present. Human remains were excavated near the Neosho River 
by an environmental company in 1984. No other provenience information 
is available.

[[Page 20485]]

    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Lyon County, KS (UBS 2020-07). The 60 associated 
funerary objects are pottery, red daub, non-human bone fragments, 
drilled bear teeth and fragments, a dog canine, a small arrow point 
midsection, and possibly Alibates agatized dolomite. The remains were 
found on a plowed surface in 1974 and given to KSHS in 2020.
    Human remains representing, at least, five individuals have been 
identified from Riley County, KS (UBS 1991-79AB). The 23 associated 
funerary objects are a bone bead, a decorated bone object, a deer 
tooth, marine shells, beads, dart points, scrapers, a knife, arrow 
points, an abrader, pottery, and daub. The remains and objects were 
removed from the two mounds prior to 1880 when they were given to KSHS.
    Human remains representing, at least, 10 individuals have been 
identified from Riley County, KS (UBS 1997-06). The 1,008 associated 
funerary objects include bone awl fragments, stone points, a shark 
tooth, a catlinite fragment, beads and bead fragments, shell gorgets, 
bone hairpins, and mollusk shells. The human remains and objects were 
taken from an oval earth mound in the early 1900s.
    Human remains representing, at least, three individuals have been 
identified from Riley County, KS (UBS 2006-12). No associated funerary 
objects are present. Remains were found in a ravine where a dam and 
small reservoir were being built. They were transferred to KSHS in 
2006.
    A total of nine associated funerary objects were identified from 
Wabaunsee County, KS (UBS 2008-06). They include a projectile point, 
Permian chert, and non-human burned bone fragments. A monument erected 
in 1956 was later determined to be placed upon a burial mound. The 
objects were found when the monument was removed in 2010.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Riley County, KS (UBS 1991-18). The 41 associated 
funerary objects are chert, a deer tooth, shell, animal bone, a biface, 
debitage, and stone. These remains and objects were found eroding from 
a gulley and given to KSHS in 1961. Some of the remains have been 
reconstructed using an unspecified glue.
    Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been 
identified from Riley County, KS (UBS 1996-38). The three associated 
funerary objects are a bird bone bead, a bone awl tip, and animal bone. 
These remains and objects are believed to be from a donation to the 
Riley County Museum, however, their exact provenience is unknown. They 
were transferred to KSHS in 1996. A tooth was reconstructed using glue 
and was mounted on cardboard by an unknown method. This was observed 
when remains arrived for forensic analysis in 1997.
    Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been 
identified from Wabaunsee County, KS (UBS 2022-03). The 20 associated 
funerary objects are antler pieces, mineralized bone or wood, a pin 
with the capital letters `CH' on the head, bird bands, organic wood or 
cork, round domed metal objects, ground ochre fragments, animal bones, 
and a prismatic chert piece. A farmer gathered the remains and objects 
from his farm prior to the 1940s and gave them to a local museum. They 
were transferred to KSHS in 2022.
    Human remains representing, at least, 15 individuals have been 
identified from Riley County, KS (UBS 1996-07, UBS 1999-06, UBS 1999-
10, UBS 1999-15, UBS 1999-16, UBS 1999-29, UBS 2006-04, UBS 2006-06, 
UBS 2007-16, UBS 2011-02, UBS 2011-03, UBS 2018-01, UBS 2022-01) and 
Wabaunsee County, KS (UBS 1995-32, UBS 2000-33). No associated funerary 
objects are present. All remains were found in or along the Kansas 
River and have no other provenience information.
    Human remains representing, at least, 15 individuals have been 
identified from either Geary, Riley, Pottawatomie, or Osage County, KS 
(UBS 1997-05). The 451 associated funerary objects are flakes, shell 
beads, crinoid beads, antler tips, a bone hairpin, bone beads, bird 
bone beads, glass beads, a milk glass sherd, a serrated tool, animal 
elements, and mollusk shells. The remains and objects were said to be 
in the general area of these counties and likely taken from mounds by 
two individuals from Junction City, KS. There may be some teeth that 
are adhered to a board, however, museum files do not indicate the 
substance.
    Human remains representing, at least, four individuals have been 
identified from Dickinson County, KS (UBS 2016-01), Riley County, KS 
(UBS 1989-45, UBS 1993-15), and Wabaunsee County, KS (UBS 2001-15). No 
associated funerary objects are present. These remains were turned into 
KSHS with only county-level provenience.
    Unless noted, and to the best of our knowledge, no 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 59 individuals of Native American ancestry.
    •  The 1,915 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 Kaw 
Nation, Oklahoma and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, 
Keechi, Waco, & Tawakonie), 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 May 18, 
2026. 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: April 8, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-07373 Filed 4-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P