Federal Register / Vol. 60 No. 181 / Tuesday, September 19, 1995
/ Notices Page 48522 - 48523
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the
University of Nebraska State Museum, Anthropology Research
Division, Lincoln, NE.
AGENCY: National Park Service
ACTION: Notice
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Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d), of the
completion of an inventory for Native American human remains and
associated funerary objects from six sites in Nebraska currently
in the possession of the University of Nebraska State Museum,
Anthropology Research Division, Lincoln, NE.
A detailed inventory and assessment has been made by members of
the professional staff of the University of Nebraska State
Museum, in consultation with representatives of the Northern
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the Southern Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma.
Meetings with these tribal representatives have been held at the
Nebraska State Museum on eight occasions during 1993-1995, in
addition to many phone conversations during this period.
During 1936-1938, the Nebraska State Archeological Survey
conducted excavations of these six sites under the authority of
the W.P.A. Official Project #165-81-8095, Work Project #3140.
Under agreement with the W.P.A., the collections resulting from
these excavations were accessioned by the University of Nebraska
State Museum.
Human remains from the Ponca Fort Site (Nanza), Knox County, NE
consist of sixty-six individuals. No known individuals were
identified. A total of 5,310 cultural items are associated with
these burials including: wood (bark fragments, scraper, shaft
smoother, shaft straightener); copper (beads, bracelets, bells,
buttons, coils, neck rings, projectile points, rings, sheets, and
cones); glass (beads, button), pipestone (bannerstone, pipe
fragments), bone (bison tools, pendent, hair pipe bead); stone
(grinding slab, unknown artifact); iron (ax, bracelets,
projectile points, fragments); lead (bracelet, coils); leather
fragments; shell (unmodified, gorgets).
The Ponca Fort Site's occupation by the Ponca Tribe is estimated
as c. 1790-1800, based on associated cultural items and oral
evidence of Ponca ethnohistoric informants in the 1930s (Wood
1965). The J.O. Dorsey "Omaha Map" (1884) indicated the presence
of Ponca earthlodges on this site and Ponca ethnohistoric
informant J. LaFleshe described "curvilinear entrenchments" and
"many earth-lodges" inside the fort (Dorsey 1884). Prince
Maximilian in 1832 described a uninhabited Ponca fort at this
location. Cultural items found with the burials (such as copper
fragments and trade beads), osteological evidence (such as copper
staining, marked anterior dental wear, fair to good preservation,
and morphological changes related to horseback riding), and the
ethnohistoric evidence are consistent with Ponca occupation of
the site.
Human remains from the Ponca Point Site (Ma-azi), Knox County,
NE, consist of the remains of one infant. No known individuals
were identified. Two associated funerary objects, consisting of
one blue and one white glass bead, were found with this burial.
In 1966, Ponca tribal historian Peter LeClaire identified the
Ponca Point site as "Ma-azi" or "the burying place on the top of
the ridge" used by the Ponca in the historic period.
Osteological evidence of red staining on the arm and rib and the
two historic beads associated with this burial, the assessment of
the site as protohistoric/historic Ponca, and Ponca ethnohistoric
informants are consistent with Ponca occupation of this site.
Human remains from the Hogan Site, Knox County, NE consist of the
remains of three individuals. No known individuals were
identified. Two hundred eighty-one associated funerary objects
include glass (beads), copper (button), and unidentified metal
(pendant).
Describing this site in the Report to the Chancellor (1937), Bell
reports that the Hogan site "has been used as a burial ground
until very recent times by the Ponca." Osteological evidence of
red staining, good preservation, morphological changes related to
horseback riding, and the associated funerary objects are
consistent with Ponca occupation of this site.
Human remains from the Davis Site, Knox County, NE consist of the
remains of nine individuals. No known individuals were
identified. Two hundred and thirty-eight associated funerary
objects include: glass (beads, bottle); copper (bell, bracelets,
buttons, bands, coils); iron (sheet, nails); pumice; wood (paper,
post); tin (bowl, plate); textile (black cloth).
Reference is made to the Ponca living in this area as early as
Truteau in 1795, Mackay in 1797, Clark in 1804, and Prince
Maximilian in 1832. Ponca tribal members working on the site
during excavations in 1937 identified these burials as Ponca.
Osteological evidence of brachycephalic skulls, and associated
cultural items are consistent with Ponca occupation of this site.
Human remains from the Minaric II Site (25KX9), Knox County, NE,
consist of the remains of six individuals. No known individuals
were identified. Sixty-eight associated funerary objects
include: bone (antler fragments, antler scraper); pipestone
(fragments); glass (beads); ceramics (sherds); copper (cones);
sandstone abrader; and shells.
In 1938, Chief Birdhead identified the Minaric II Site as a Ponca
village "occupied by the lesser chiefs and the common people of
the tribe." Chief Birdhead also said that his grandfather had
lived in one of the houses on the bottom land. In 1966, Ponca
tribal historian Peter LeClaire compiled a list of Ponca sites,
and identified the Minaric II site as "Farming Ground Village."
Osteological evidence of copper staining, marked anterior dental
wear, fair to good preservation, morphological changes related to
horseback riding, and Ponca oral history are consistent with
Ponca occupation of this site.
Human remains from the Minaric III Site, Knox County, NE, consist
of the remains of one individual. No known individual was
identified. Twenty-eight associated funerary objects include:
glass (beads); metal (ring, copper necklace band); lithic
(projectile point).
The archeological evidence of the Minaric III site, located
between the Minaric II site and the Ponca Fort Site, indicates
Ponca occupation during the historic period consistent with the
surrounding Ponca sites. Osteological evidence of copper
staining, marked anterior dental wear, good preservation, and the
associated cultural items are consistent with Ponca occupation of
this site.
Based on the above-mentioned information from these six sites,
officials of the Nebraska State Museum have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared
group identify which can be reasonably traced between these human
remains and associated funerary objects and the Northern Ponca
Tribe of Nebraska and the Southern Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma.
This notice has been sent to officials of the Northern Ponca
Tribe of Nebraska and the Southern Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated
funerary objects should contact Dr. Thomas Myers, Curator of
Anthropology, University of Nebraska State Museum, Systematics
Collections W436 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0544, telephone
(402) 472-5033 before October 19, 1995. Repatriation of these
human remains to the Northern Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the
Southern Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma may begin after this date if no
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: September 13, 1995
Francis P. McManamon
Departmental Consulting Archeologist
Archeology and Ethnography Program
[FR Doc. 95-23153 Filed 9-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
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