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 University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology, 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. The 25 lots of associated funerary objects are four lots of ceramic fragments, two lots of faunal fragments, two lots of debitage, two lots of fired clay fragments, two lots of unmodified rocks, and one lot each of: projectile points, bullets, ceramic vessels, stone plummets, hafted bifaces, unifaces, bifaces, drills, hematite, ochre, shell fragments, gun flints, and worked faunal bones. The individuals were removed from site 11MS2, Cahokia Mounds, and surrounding areas by George B. Higgins between 1908 and 1921, and W. L. Waters at an unknown date. Most of the funerary objects were removed by John Bryan, John Cottier, Jerry W. Daniels, William Philyaw, Alan J. Neely, James Neely, and Joe Walta, between 1948 and 1974 and donated to the University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology between 1974 and 2018. The remainder of the funerary objects were collected at unknown dates by people unknown. No known hazardous substances were used to treat the human remains or associated funerary objects.

Cultural Affiliation

Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

The University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 25 lots of 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 Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Kaw Nation, Oklahoma; (previously listed as Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan); Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Quapaw Nation; Sac & Fox Nation, Oklahoma; Shawnee Tribe; and The Osage Nation.

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 August 31, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology 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 University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology 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.

91 FR 48406