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 ( printed page 68554) 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, 94 individuals have been identified. The 94 lots, representing approximately 3,770 associated funerary objects, are ceramics, stone tools (including projectile points and bifaces), faunal bone fragments, charcoal, soil, copper fragments, shell, a pipe. The individuals and associated funerary objects described in this notice were removed from sites in Boone, Carroll, Cedar, Crawford, Dunklin, Jefferson, Montgomery, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Pettis, Phelps, St Genevieve, St Louis, Warren, Washington Counties, and two unknown locations in Missouri.

The sites include: Mendenhall (23BO86) with one MNI and four lots; Mendenhall Mounds (23BO87) with 12 MNI and five lots; Wakenda (23CA1) with two MNI and three lots; no site name (23CE1) with one MNI and no lots; Boulder Cave (23CR58) with three MNI and six lots; unknown site (23CRunprov) one MNI and no lots; Langdon (23DU1) with one MNI and one lot; Vancil Mounds (23DU4) with two MNI and five lots; Blakemore/Joel Todd (23DU126) with one MNI and no lots; Hankins (23DU335) with two MNI and three lots; Northern & Southern Blowholes (23DU386) with one MNI and no lots; Costephens (23DU391) with one MNI and four lots; Johnson, (23DU398) with one MNI and two lots; Jerry Stillman (23DU446) with two MNI and two lots; Missin Massey (23DU457) with one MNI and two lots; S. Pete Cross (23DU486) with one MNI and no lots; Tom True's Leveled (23DU493) with one MNI and no lots; N. Deadman's Slough (23DU498) with one MNI and no lots; Tommy Cook (23DU515) with one MNI and no lots; Ron Nichols Central (23DU611) with one MNI and five lots; Wilson Farm (23JEunpro2) with one MNI and six lots; no site name (23MT1) with one MNI and six lots; Atterberry Cave (23MT28) with one MNI and three lots; Matthews (23NM156) with one MNI and two lots; Ross (23NM600) with one MNI and no lots; Pigeon East (23NM606) with one MNI and one lot; Keel (23NMunprov2) with one MNI and two lots; Jerry Stillman (23 PM660) with one MNI and four lots; Hieronymus Mound (23PE12) with 17 MNI and no lots; no site name (23PH38) with one MNI and one lot; Saline Creek/Keslin (23SG218/23SG300) with seven MNI and nine lots; no site name (23SGunprov1) with one MNI and no lots; Sisters of Notre Dame Convent (23SL70) with one MNI and two lots; Schroer Cave (23WN1) with seven MNI and six lots; Albert Wideman Farm (23WA23) with two MNI and four lots; Keel (23unprov19) with 11 MNI and five lots; unknown site (23unprov46) with two MNI and one lot.

All of the sites in this notice were excavated or collected by members of the Missouri Archaeological Society. In 2019, control of the collections was transferred from the Society to the University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology, to facilitate NAGPRA compliance. Sites from Dunklin County (23DU1, 23DU4, 23DU126, 23DU335, 23DU386, 23DU391, 23DU398, 23DU446, 23DU457, 23DU486, 23DU493, 23DU498, 23DU515, 23DU611) and 23 PM660, 23NM606, and 23SGunprov, were surface collected and donated by Ralph Wayne before 2001. Sites 23MT28 and 23WN1 were donated by C.K. Sheets in 1958. Thomas Keel donated the ancestors and collections in 1967 from sites 23NM156, 23NM600, 23NMunprov2, and 23unprov19. Leonard Blake donated collections from 23SG218, 23SL70, and 23WA23. Ted Hamilton excavated the Wakenda site (23CA1) in 1952. The Mendenhall sites (23BO86 and 23BO87) were excavated with Earl Lubensky and Missouri Archaeological Society members. Harry and Florence Collins excavated Hieronymus Mound (23PE12) in 1950. Site 23unprov46 was found in Judge Dalton's collection from his 1965 donation, during the 2021 collections review. Sites: 23CE1, 23CR58, 23CRunprov, 23JEunprov, and 23PH38 were excavated by members of the Missouri Archaeological Society. 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 94 individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 94 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 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 November 30, 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 68553