Notice2022-05063
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
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
March 10, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
The University of Southern Mississippi has completed an inventory of human remains, 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 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 should submit a written request to the University of Southern Mississippi. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 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 87 Issue 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13751-13752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05063]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0033500; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Southern
Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The University of Southern Mississippi has completed an
inventory of human remains, 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 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 should submit a written request to the University
of Southern Mississippi. If no additional requestors come forward,
transfer of control of the human remains 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 should submit a
written request with information in support of the request to the
University of Southern Mississippi at the address in this notice by
April 11, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marie Elaine Danforth, Professor of
Anthropology, School of Social Science and Global Studies, University
of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5108, Hattiesburg, MS
39406-0001, telephone (601) 266-5629, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2bffcb6b3bcb4bda0a6ba92a7a1bffcb7b6a7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="14793a70757a727b66607c546167793a717061">[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 under
the control of the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS.
The human remains are presumed to have been removed from eastern Texas.
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. 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 Southern Mississippi professional staff in consultation
with representatives of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.
History and Description of the Remains
Sometime prior to 1994, human remains representing, at minimum, one
individual were removed from an unknown site in eastern Texas. The
human remains were brought to the Mississippi Petrified Forest Museum
in Madison County, MS, where they were on display for an unknown number
of years. In 1994, the human remains were transferred to the University
of Southern Mississippi. The nearly complete skeleton belongs to a
young adult female, and the human remains most likely predate European
contact. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
The human remains were determined to be Native American based on
facial and dental characteristics. No documentation for these human
remains is known to exist. Instead, their provenience and date are
based upon oral information provided by a longtime administrator at the
museum. They are most likely culturally affiliated with the Caddo
Nation of Oklahoma based on that Indian Tribe's traditional association
with eastern Texas. This association is supported by information
provided by a representative of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma during
consultation.
At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, two
individuals were removed from sites in Oklahoma and eastern Texas. The
human remains belong to two adults of indeterminate sex. No known
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are
present.
No information concerning how these human remains entered the
university's archeological holdings is known to exist. The human
remains were found in a box labeled ``Bentley Collection from Texas.''
Notations on the bags in the box read ``Fannin City, Texas'' and
``LeFlore, OK; Great Temple Mound.'' The human remains of these two
individuals have been identified as Native American based on the bag
labels, especially the one referencing the Great Temple Mound, a part
of Spiro Mounds in Oklahoma dating to A.D. 850-1450. There is no Fannin
City in Texas, but there is a Fannin County in the far northeastern
part of the state on the Oklahoma border. Based on the well-accepted
cultural association of Spiro Mounds with the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma,
as well as that Indian Tribe's traditional ties with eastern Texas,
these human remains most likely are culturally affiliated with the
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma. This association is supported by information
provided by a representative of the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma during
consultation.
Determinations Made by the University of Southern Mississippi
Officials of the University of Southern Mississippi have determined
that:
<bullet> Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of
Native American ancestry.
<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
[[Page 13752]]
remains and the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma.
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 should submit a
written request with information in support of the request to Marie
Elaine Danforth, Professor of Anthropology, School of Social Science
and Global Studies, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College
Drive #5108, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, telephone (601) 266-5629,
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e73307a7f7078716c6a765e6b6d73307b7a6b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f42014b4e4149405d5b476f5a5c42014a4b5a">[email protected]</span></a>, by April 11, 2022. After that date, if no
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the
human remains to the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma may proceed.
The University of Southern Mississippi is responsible for notifying
the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma that this notice has been published.
Dated: March 2, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-05063 Filed 3-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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