2024-09407. Notice of Inventory Completion: William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology, University of Kentucky (WSWM) 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 or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice may occur on or after May 31, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Celise Chilcote-Fricker, William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology, University of Kentucky, 1020 Export St., Lexington, KY 40504, 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 WSWM, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

Based on the information available, human remains representing, at least, six individuals have been reasonably identified. The 33 associated funerary objects are five lots of ceramic sherds, five lots of lithics, six lots of shell, six lots of faunal, three lots of flotation, four lots of soil samples, three lots of seeds, and one bone pin. Site 15McN18 (Crawford Lake) in McCracken, KY was excavated in 1990 by the University of Illinois' Western Kentucky Project. Calibrated radiocarbon dates place it in the Middle Archaic and Mississippian archaeological periods.

Based on the information available, human remains representing, at least, seven individuals have been reasonably identified. The 91 associated funerary objects are seven lots of lithics, six lots of faunal, six lots of floatation, six lots of soil samples, five lots of flora, seven lots of charcoal, 20 lithic projectile points, one lithic scraper, 13 faunal teeth, 13 pieces of ochre, two pieces of hematite, and five lots of burned clay. Site 15McN81 (Hedden) in McCracken, KY, was excavated in 1994 by Wilbur Smith Associates to mitigate road construction and in 2003 the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics approved a request from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to curate at the University of Kentucky.

Cultural Affiliation

Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

The WSWM has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of 13 individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 124 objects described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony.
• There is a reasonable connection between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and The Chickasaw Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under 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 May 31, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the WSWM 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 WSWM is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice.

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

Dated: April 23, 2024.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.