Notice2021-18273
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 25, 2021
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
The University of Michigan 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 a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 University of Michigan. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 162 (Wednesday, August 25, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47514-47516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18273]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032471; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The University of Michigan 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 a cultural affiliation between the human
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian Tribes
or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 University of Michigan. If no additional requestors come
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated
funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.
DATES: Lineal descendants or 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 University of Michigan at the address in
this notice by September 24, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project
Manager, University of Michigan, Office of Research, 4080 Fleming
Building, 503 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone
(734) 647-9085, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#46243523253328222706332b2f252e68232233"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a4c6d7c1c7d1cac0c5e4d1c9cdc7cc8ac1c0d1">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. The human remains and associated funerary
objects were removed from the Riverside Cemetery site (20ME1),
Menominee County, MI.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). 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
University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology (UMMAA)
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the
Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community,
Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of
Michigan; Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana; Match-e-
be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Menominee
Indian Tribe of Wisconsin; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Mille
Lacs Band); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan
[previously listed as Huron Potawatomi, Inc.]; and the Pokagon Band of
Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana (hereafter referred to as
``The Consulted Tribes'').
The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians
of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Chippewa Cree Indians of the
Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana [previously listed as Chippewa-Cree
Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana];
[[Page 47515]]
Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Forest County Potawatomi
Community, Wisconsin; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin;
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake); Fond
du Lac Band; Grand Portage Band; Leech Lake Band; White Earth Band);
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation [previously listed as Prairie Band of
Potawatomi Nation, Kansas]; Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian
Reservation, California & Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior
Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians,
Minnesota; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa
Indians of Wisconsin; and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
of North Dakota were invited to consult but did not participate
(hereafter referred to as ``The Invited Tribes'').
History and Description of the Remains
In 1956-57, human remains representing, at minimum, nine
individuals were removed from the Riverside Cemetery site (20ME1) in
Menominee County, MI, by UMMAA archeologist A.C. Spaulding. Spaulding
excavated the multi-component site, and it was later excavated by
others on multiple occasions (the UMMAA does not possess all of the
human remains and items excavated from the Riverside Cemetery site. The
human remains belong to one child 5-9 years old, of indeterminate sex;
one cremated young adult 17-19 years old, of indeterminate sex; one
adult male 30+ years old; one adult of indeterminate sex; one cremated
infant; and four cremated adults of indeterminate sex. No known
individuals were identified. The 25 associated funerary objects are one
lot of small, white perforated flat beads; one lot of conical copper
points; one lot of small, flat, and irregular-shaped copper fragments;
one lot of faunal bone fragments and charcoal; one lot of shouldered
projectile points; one lot of copper points/cones; one lot of small,
heavy copper fragments; one lot of projectile point tip fragments; one
lot of faunal bone fragments, bark fragments, and red ochre; one lot of
large, red ochre-stained obsidian cores; one lot of copper beads and
bark fragments; one lot of red ochre-stained flint scrapers and flakes;
one lot of red ochre-stained rounded whetstones; one lot of copper
awls; one lot of socketed copper spears; one lot of flat-stemmed or
fish-tailed copper projectile points; one lot of red ochre-covered
chert projectile points; one lot of wood fragments; one lot of red
ochre-covered beaver tooth fragments; one lot of red ochre-coated wood
and bone fragments; one lot of red ochre- and copper-stained faunal
bone fragments; one lot of dog cranium fragments with vials of red
ochre; one lot of red ochre-stained and perforated lynx scapula
fragments; one lot of flat-stemmed copper projectile points and wood
fragments; and one lot of red ochre-stained faunal scapulae.
The Riverside Cemetery site has evidence of occupation dating from
the Late Archaic (2550-300 B.C.) through the Late Woodland Period (A.D.
500-1100). Two components--Features 6 and 14--are associated with
burials belonging to the Old Copper Culture of the Late Archaic/Early
Woodland Period, based on diagnostic artifacts. Three different burial
treatments were noted at the site: Cremations, burial in red ochre, and
burial without ochre. Feature 6 contained a flexed burial with red
ochre and copper points. The cranium of a dog was found near the pelvis
of the individual. Ochre covered the entire skeleton, but was thicker
over the head and legs, in a lens suggesting the body was wrapped in a
skin or bark. A bundle was found with flints, beaver teeth, antler
shaft wrench, copper points, flint points, wood, animal bone, and a
smoothing stone. Feature 2, which was located near Feature 6, was
identified by red ochre staining. Cremated human remains were present
that were disturbed and incomplete. Above this cremation were several
cord-marked pottery sherds as well as a fluted axe however the
association between these objects and the burial is described as
uncertain due to the distance of the objects from the human remains.
Excavation Unit 4 was reported as badly disintegrated bone. The human
remains were cremated and calcined. Feature 13, a disturbed pit
containing calcined bones, contained no artifacts. Feature 14 contained
ochre-stained sand in a pit. At the bottom of the pit was a large block
of obsidian resting on strands of heavy copper beads which were wrapped
in bark. Beneath the obsidian and copper beads was a pile of crushed
cremated bones deposited on top of bark which lined the bottom of the
pit. The bark was noted by the fibrous structures in organic material;
however, it was too fragile to collect. The strands of copper beads
appeared to loop back and forth upon the cremated bones. Features 11
and 12 were two pits that came together, both containing red ochre and
small fragments of human bone and a conical copper point.
The human remains have been determined to be Native American based
on dental traits, mortuary treatment, diagnostic artifacts, and
archeological context. A relationship of shared group identity can be
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains from this
site and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. Menominee tribal
experts provided evidence for cultural affiliation based on their long-
standing presence in the Menominee River Valley, which they believe
establishes ties of territorial ethnicity to these burials. Museum
experts believe the burials are associated with Old Copper Culture
which geographically includes, but reaches beyond, the Menominee River
Valley. However, tribal experts also provided information that suggests
there were regional variations within Old Copper Culture, and this
pattern points toward an association between these particular burials
and the Menominee traditional homelands. After considering the best
available information, and in light of the preponderance of the
evidence threshold required under the law and regulations, the
determination was made that the totality of the various lines of
evidence suggest the Menominee are culturally affiliated with these
particular burials.
Determinations Made by the University of Michigan
Officials of the University of Michigan have determined that:
<bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described
in this notice represent the physical remains of nine individuals of
Native American ancestry.
<bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 25 objects described
in this notice is 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.
<bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Lineal descendants or 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 Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager,
University of Michigan, Office of Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503
Thompson
[[Page 47516]]
Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone (734) 647-9085, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c5a7b6a0a6b0aba1a485b0a8aca6adeba0a1b0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c3a1b0a6a0b6ada7a283b6aeaaa0abeda6a7b6">[email protected]</span></a>, by September 24, 2021. After that date, if no
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Menominee Indian
Tribe of Wisconsin may proceed.
The University of Michigan is responsible for notifying The
Consulted Tribes and The Invited Tribes that this notice has been
published.
Dated: August 18, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-18273 Filed 8-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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