Notice2026-06336
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Rolla, MO
Primary source
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Published
April 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16727-16728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06336]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7042; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042506; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Rolla, MO
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Mark Twain National Forest has completed an inventory of human
remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there
is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated
funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in
this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after May 4, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Vinci Keeler, Forest
Supervisor, USDA Mark Twain National Forest, 401 Fairgrounds Road,
Rolla, MO 65401, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dfa9b6b1bcb6f1b4babab3baad9faaacbbbef1b8b0a9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ee9887808d87c0858b8b828b9cae9b9d8a8fc0898198">[email protected]</span></a>.
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
Mark Twain National Forest, 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, one individual have been
identified. The 45 associated funerary objects are debitage flakes,
faunal remains, shell fragments, and ceramic sherds. The human remains
and funerary objects were collected in 1985 and 1988 at unnamed
rockshelter site 23CY492 in Callaway County, Missouri.
Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human
remains were collected in 1978 from Three Entrance Cave site (23OR51)
in Oregon County, Missouri.
Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been
identified. The 76 associated funerary objects are debitage flakes,
flake tools, projectile points, bifaces, a mano, unidentified lithics,
faunal remains, and soil samples. The human remains and funerary
objects were excavated in 1961 from Merrell Cave site (23PU64) in
Pulaski County, Missouri.
Human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been
identified. The 730 associated funerary objects are a miniature vessel,
ceramic sherds, debitage flakes, utilized flakes, bifaces, projectile
points, cores, hammerstones, groundstone fragments, unmodified lithics,
faunal remains, a bone bead, a bone needle, worked faunal bones, and
mussel shell. The human remains and funerary objects were excavated in
1961 from Decker Cave site (23PU78) in Pulaski County, Missouri.
Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been
identified. The 154 associated funerary objects are debitage flakes,
bifaces, unmodified chert, faunal remains, shell fragments, and ceramic
sherds. The human remains and funerary objects were recovered from
Pillman Cave site (23PH144) in Phelps County, Missouri at an unknown
date, likely in 1961.
Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been
identified. The three associated funerary objects are flotation
samples. The human remains and funerary objects were excavated in 1983
from unnamed site 23PH351 in Phelps County, Missouri.
Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been
identified. The 122 associated funerary objects are debitage flakes, a
drill, a biface, a core, a groundstone fragment, shell fragments, a
ceramic sherd, and charcoal samples. The human remains and funerary
objects were excavated in 1989 and 1990 from Dead Deer site (23PH383)
in Phelps County, Missouri during archaeological field school
excavations.
The 22 associated funerary objects are debitage flakes, cores, a
groundstone fragment, a fire cracked rock, faunal remains, and a shell
fragment. The funerary objects were recovered in 1960 from Lohmer
Rockshelter site (23BY506) located in Barry County, Missouri at an
unknown date.
The one associated funerary object is a biface. The funerary object
was recovered from Pillman Rock Cairns #1 site (23PH380) located in
Phelps County, Missouri during investigations at nearby Pillman Cave
site at an unknown date, most likely 1961 or 1980.
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 Mark Twain National Forest has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of nine individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 1,153 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.
<bullet> 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:
[[Page 16728]]
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 May 4,
2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Mark
Twain National Forest 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 Mark Twain National Forest 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.
Dated: March 24, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-06336 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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