Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology, Columbia, MO

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology 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

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68553-68554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22160]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7609; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0044101; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Missouri, Museum of 
Anthropology, Columbia, MO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Missouri, Museum of 
Anthropology 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 November 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Dr. Candace Sall, 
University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology, 1020 Lowry Street, 
Columbia, MO 65211, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#016f6066717360416c6872726e7473682f646574"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aec0cfc9dedccfeec3c7ddddc1dbdcc780cbcadb">[email&#160;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 
University of Missouri, Museum of Anthropology, and additional 
information on the determinations in this notice, including the results 
of consultation, can be found

[[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:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 94 individuals of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> 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.
    <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:
    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.

    Dated: October 22, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-22160 Filed 10-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>