2011-30626. Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology, Ann Arbor, MI

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The University of Michigan has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the remains and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Research. Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

DATES:

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Research at the address below by December 29, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Michigan, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340, telephone [phone].

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 in the possession of the University of Michigan. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from three sites in Mackinac County, MI.

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 43 CFR 10.11(d). 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. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by University of Michigan officials and its Museum of Anthropology NAGPRA collections staff in consultation with representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (formerly the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan (hereinafter referred to as “The Tribes”).

Additional requests for consultation were sent to the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas; Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; and the Wyandotte Nation, Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

In 1932, Robert Braidwood of the University of Michigan discovered human remains eroding from the surface while conducting an archeological survey of mounds comprising the Juntunen and Arrowhead Drive Sites in Mackinac County, MI. Between the initial 1932 discovery and 1960, human remains representing, at minimum, 76 individuals were excavated from the Juntunen Site. In 1959, Mr. Charles Juntunen, the landowner of the site, found the human remains while preparing a road using a bulldozer. Mr. Juntunen contacted the University of Michigan to salvage the remains, and Alan McPherron and James Griffin conducted multiple excavations. The Juntunen Site contains five ossuaries (one large and four small, both defined by secondary-burials), one infant burial, and additional human remains collected from the surface of a mound. The largest ossuary discovered at the site consisted of a lower burial pit (Feature 10) separated by a sterile layer of soil from an upper burial pit (Feature 11), both of which were lined with birch bark. At minimum, 33 individuals were found in this ossuary buried in bundles, with a high number of individuals exhibiting pathological expressions of tuberculosis in conjunction with chronic vitamin deficiencies. The four smaller ossuaries contained, at minimum, 32 individuals. Additionally, an infant burial was discovered in a pit that was covered by a collapsed log roof. Human remains were also recovered from the surface of the site representing, at minimum, 10 individuals. No known individuals were identified. There are 71 associated funerary objects including: 1 medicine bundle containing 2 stone points; 1 red ground stone or palette; 2 ground stones; 3 flint cores; 13 stone flakes; 3 bone chisels; 3 harpoon heads; 2 small bone awls; 2 large bone awls; 1 otter skull with soil; 1 lot consisting of a strike-a-light kit—iron pyrite, flint, and “skitaagin; ” 1 copper awl; 1 bone punch or splinter with polished tips; 1 lot of twined textile fragments from the medicine bag; 2 miniature ceramic vessels; 29 shell and fish beads; 1 lot of approximately 700 Marginella shells that formed a shell beaded band or belt; and 3 lots of soil from the largest ossuary.

McPherron and Griffin noted a long history of occupation at the site. Archeological analysis suggests that the location was used as a large, seasonal fishing camp during the Late Woodland period. The burials were found to date between 1200-1400 A.D. based on ceramic typology and Carbon 14 analysis. The burial treatments found at the site and in the ossuaries are consistent with the time period.

In 1963, human remains representing, at minimum, seven individuals (1 elderly male, 3 adult females, 2 adult males, and 1 infant/neonate) were excavated from Arrowhead Drive Site by Charles Eyman of the University of Michigan. No known individuals were identified. The 20 associated funerary objects include: 1 medicine bundle containing 7 chert fragments; 1 animal bone lot with beaver incisors, black bear maxilla, bird and mammal bones; 8 stone fragments including specular hematite; 1 lot of the remains of a skin bag; 1 lot of shell and soil; 1 antler tool with a beaver incisor found near Burial 7; and 1 lot of ceramic sherds from two partial vessels.

This site is adjacent to the Juntunen Site; however, the mortuary treatment of the human remains buried at Arrowhead Drive show primary interment in the mound, whereas burials at the Juntunen site were interred in secondary bundles. Individuals at this site also show more cavities and tooth wear than those from the adjacent excavation. The burial feature at this site was found to date between 70 B.C.-170 A.D. based on Carbon 14 dating and diagnostic artifacts, falling within the Middle Woodland period and pre-dating the Juntunen Site by more than 1,000 years.

Sometime prior to 1924, human remains representing, at minimum one individual were removed from an unknown site in Saint Ignace, MI. The University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology purchased the human remains from Reverend L. P. Rowland in November of 1924 as part of a larger collection known as the “Rowland Collection,” which spans approximately 1,000 archeological and ethnographic objects from various locations in North America. No information on provenience is present except a reference to Saint Ignace, MI on the catalog card. Individual number 1276 was determined to be a middle aged adult 30-50 years of age, possibly female with cranial modifications from cradle boarding. No known individuals were identified. No funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the University of Michigan

Officials of the University of Michigan have determined that:

• Based on cranial morphology, dental traits, as well as the pottery and artifacts associated with the burials that all pre-date the contact period the human remains are determined to be Native American.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and any present-day Indian tribe.
• According to final judgments of the Indian Claims Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains and associated funerary objects, were removed is the aboriginal land of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; and the White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.
• Multiple lines of evidence, including treaties, Acts of Congress, and Executive Orders, indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (formerly the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas; Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; and the Wyandotte Nation, Oklahoma.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of 84 individuals of Native American ancestry.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 91 objects described above 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 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the human remains is to The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains or any other Indian tribe that believes it satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should contact Dr. Ben Secunda, NAGPRA Project Manager, University of Michigan, Office of the Vice President for Research, 4080 Fleming Building, 503 Thompson St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1340, telephone [phone], before December 29, 2011. Disposition of the human remains to The Tribes may proceed after that date if no additional requestors come forward.

The University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Research is responsible for notifying the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin; Bay Mills Indian Community, Michigan; Bois Forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana; Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin; Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan; Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas; Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas; Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma; Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Michigan; Leech Lake Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Michigan; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, Michigan (formerly the Huron Potawatomi, Inc.); Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma; Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas; Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona; Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota; Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan; Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan; Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Wisconsin; St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin; Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota; White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota; and the Wyandotte Nation, Oklahoma that this notice has been published.

Dated: November 22, 2011.

Sherry Hutt,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.