2023-24889. Notice of Inventory Completion: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Gilcrease Museum 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 in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Dauphin and Wyoming Counties, PA.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice may occur on or after December 13, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Laura Bryant, Gilcrease Museum, 800 S Tucker Drive, Tulsa, OK 74104, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

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 Gilcrease Museum. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. Additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records held by the Gilcrease Museum.

Description

Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from Wyoming County, PA. In 1940, Frank Soday, an avocational archeologist, removed these human remains from Frenchman's Cave (aka Soday site 60). In 1982, the Thomas Gilcrease Association purchased the Soday collection and gifted it to Gilcrease Museum. The human remains belong to an individual of unknown sex and age. The nine associated funerary objects are one lot consisting of lithic flakes and chips, and eight lots consisting of ceramic sherds.

Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were removed from Dauphin County, PA. In 1942, Frank Soday removed these human remains from Shoop Site (also known as Mohr Farm and Soday site 148). In 1982, the Thomas Gilcrease Association purchased the Soday collection and gifted it to Gilcrease Museum. The human remains belong to two individuals of unknown sex and age. The five associated funerary objects are three lots consisting of lithic flakes and debitage, one lot consisting of quartz fragments, and one bullet.

Cultural Affiliation

The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were used to reasonably trace the relationship: geographical, archeological, linguistic, oral tradition, historic evidence, other relevant information, and expert opinion.

Determinations

Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, the Gilcrease Museum has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 14 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.
• There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians; and the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after December 13, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the Gilcrease Museum 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 Gilcrease Museum is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10, and 10.14.

Dated: November 1, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.