[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6622-6623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02336]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-14694; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Anthropology at 
Washington State University, Pullman, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Museum of Anthropology at Washington State University 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 Museum of Anthropology

[[Page 6623]]

at Washington State University. 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 Museum of Anthropology at Washington 
State University at the address in this notice by March 6, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Mary Collins, Museum of Anthropology at Washington State 
University, P.O. Box 644910 Pullman, WA 99164, telephone (509) 335-
4314, email [email protected].

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 Museum of 
Anthropology at Washington State University. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Walla Walla County, WA.
    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 Museum 
of Anthropology at Washington State University professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon).

History and Description of the Remains

    Sometime before 2000, possibly in 1988, human remains representing, 
at minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown location in 
Walla Walla County, WA. The human remains were at the University of 
Idaho from some unknown date until 2000, when they were transferred to 
the Museum of Anthropology at Washington State University. Notes at the 
University of Idaho state the human remains were collected on March 21, 
1988, but no additional information was located. No known individuals 
were identified. The eight associated funerary objects are 2 freshwater 
mussel shells, 1 bone awl, 2 smooth pebbles, 2 fragmentary pieces of 
bird bone, and 1 fragment of a chipped stone tool.
    The human remains were determined to be Native American based on 
the nature of the dental wear and the character of the associated 
funerary objects. Present-day cultural affiliation was based on the 
generalized location from which the remains were removed in Walla Walla 
County, WA. The character of the associated funerary objects suggests 
the human remains probably date to the late prehistoric period or 
between 2000 and 500 years ago.

Determinations Made by the Museum of Anthropology at Washington State 
University

    Officials of the Museum of Anthropology at Washington State 
University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the eight objects 
described in this notice are 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.
     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 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon).

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 Mary Collins, Museum of Anthropology at 
Washington State University, P.O. Box 644910 Pullman, WA 99164, 
telephone (509) 335-4314, email [email protected], by March 6, 2014. 
After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 
(previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Reservation, Oregon) may proceed.
    The Museum of Anthropology at Washington State University is 
responsible for notifying the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Indian Reservation (previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) that this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 18, 2013.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-02336 Filed 2-3-14; 8:45 am]
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