2024-04983. Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Oregon Natural and Cultural History, Eugene, OR

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains were removed from Tillamook County, OR.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or after April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Dr. Pamela Endzweig, Director of Anthropological Collections, University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 1224 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403–1224, 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 University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History. 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 University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

Description

In 1957, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from Netarts Bays sand spit (35Ti1A), in Tillamook County, OR. They were collected during legally authorized excavations by University of Oregon archeologists and accessioned under Accession Number 163. The human remains are isolates collected in fill from units 7–8x/6–8y (cat.# B1437), 7–8x/8–10y (no cat.#), and 7–9x/4–6y (cat.# B1438), likely associated with House 12. They were found in the Museum's collections during study of non-human faunal remains from the site. The human remains represent one adult, possibly male, 40–45 years old. No associated funerary objects are present.

According to published materials, most radiocarbon dates indicate that houses at 35Ti1A were in use for at least several hundred years, from ca. 1400–1800 CE.

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: anthropological information, geographical information, historical information.

Determinations

Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
• There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the human remains described in this notice and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after April 8, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and not competing requests. The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.

This notice was submitted before the effective date of the revised regulations (88 FR 86452, December 13, 2023, effective January 12, 2024). As the notice conforms to the mandatory format of the Federal Register and includes the required information, the National Park Service is publishing this notice as submitted.

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

Dated: February 29, 2024.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.