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 CAR, 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, 17 individuals have been identified. The 916 associated funerary objects are beads, lithic debitage, projectile points, faunal bones, clay nodules, and soil matrix. These individuals and associated funerary objects were excavated from five sites in Texas: three in Fort Bend County (41FB28, 41FB42, 41FB223), one in Harris County ( printed page 72893) (41HR422), and one in Waller County (site unknown).

The sites in Fort Bend County were seasonal occupation areas spanning the precolonial periods, approximately 8000-2000 BP. From 41FB28, six sets of human remains and 17 associated funerary objects are housed at CAR. The funerary objects consist of soil matrix, faunal remains, and lithic flakes. From 41FB42, there are two sets of human remains and 891 associated funerary objects consisting of beads, faunal remains, lithic flakes, and soil. From 41FB223, one ancestor is represented, along with four associated funerary objects, consisting soil matrix and clay nodules.

The site in Harris County was a precolonial shell midden site on the marsh of Galveston Bay, with an occupation sequence dating approximately 5000-500 BP. Seven ancestors and four associated funerary objects are currently housed at CAR from this site. The sites from Fort Bend and Harris Counties were excavated by the Houston Archaeological Society (HAS) between 1980-1999. Some of the human remains and associated funerary objects were housed at Rice University, Sam Houston University, and or the HAS for at least part of the time following excavation, although their complete provenance is unknown. In 2019, the human remains and objects were transferred to UTSA-CAR by the HAS.

One ancestor found at in an unknown site in Waller County was privately donated to UTSA-CAR in 1996, possibly as part of a private collection after it was found in 1993 eroding out of the bank of the Brazos River near Hempstead, TX. The original time period for this individual is unknown. The ancestor is not associated with any 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 CAR has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of 17 individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 916 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 Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Kiowa Tribe (previously listed as Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma); Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; and the Tonkawa Tribe of Indians of 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 December 14, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the CAR 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 CAR 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 72892