[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48303-48304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24375]



[[Page 48303]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects from the Illinois counties of La Salle, 
Madison, Perry, and Randolph in the Possession of the Anthropology 
Section, Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 
3003 (d), of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects from the Illinois counties of La Salle, 
Madison, Perry, and Randolph in the Possession of the Anthropology 
Section, Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Illinois 
State Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Ho-Chunk Nation, 
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri, Sac & Fox 
Nation of Oklahoma, Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, 
Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, Forest County 
Potawatomi Community, Hannahville Indian Community, Pokagon Band of 
Potawatomi Indians, and Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians of Kansas.
    In 1972, human remains representing eight individuals were 
recovered at Fort de Chartres III (11R127), Randolph County, during 
archeological excavations conducted by Dr. Margaret Kimball Brown to 
develop more accurate reconstructions and interpretive programming at 
this state park. No known individuals were identified. The 9,834 
associated funerary objects include one embossed silver arm band, 33 
silver brooches, three silver crosses, 80 iron tinkling cones, one iron 
spear point, three brass bells, three brass necklaces, four copper 
rings, one bone-handled case knife, and 9,585 glass seed beads.
    The Fort de Chartres III site is the last of a historically well-
documented series of forts established as the seat of French military 
and civil power in Illinois from 1719 until the final fort was handed 
over to the British in 1765. This third construction consisted of a 
substantial stone fortress dating from the mid-1750s. Historical and 
archeological evidence clearly indicate this fort was also a center of 
Native American activity. Two contemporary Michigamea villages (Kolmer 
and Waterman sites) have been documented near this fort. Based on 
dentition, cranial characteristics, and the associated funerary 
objects, these individuals have been determined to be Native American. 
Based on the location of the burials within the fort itself and the 
European trade goods present, these individuals were likely interred 
after the British abandonment of the fort in 1772 and prior to 1832, 
when the remaining tribes in Illinois were removed across the 
Mississippi River. The Michigamea were members of the Illini 
confederacy, along with the Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Moingwena, Peoria, and 
Tamaroa. The present day descendant of the Illini confederacy is the 
Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma.
    In 1952, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from the Guebert site (11R1), Randolph County, during joint 
archeological excavations by the Illinois State Museum and Southern 
Illinois University. No known individual was identified. The four 
associated funerary objects include one lead cross, two fragments of 
brass or copper, and one fragment of a German silver trigger guard.
    The Guebert site is an historic village site known in French 
documents as ``Indian Kaskaskia'' which was occupied between 1719 and 
about 1765 by Kaskaskia, Michigamea, and Tamaroa people of the Illini 
confederacy. Based on site context, cranial chartacteristics and the 
associated funerary objects, this individual has been determined to be 
Native American and most likely affiliated with the Illini confederacy. 
The present day descendant of the Illini confederacy is the Peoria 
Tribe of Oklahoma.
    In 1948, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from Feature 5 at the Hotel Plaza site (11LS61), La Salle County, 
during joint archeological excavations by the Illinois State Museum and 
the University of Chicago. No known individual was identified. The 
three associated funerary objects include one chert hammerstone, one 
sandstone abrader, and one La Salle Filleted pottery sherd.
    The Hotel Plaza site, located on a floodplain of the Illinois River 
adjacent to Starved Rock, contains mixed precontact occupations 
(Archaic and Woodland periods) and features dating into the historic 
period. Based on cranial characteristics and the associated funerary 
objects, this individual has been identified as Native American. 
Feature 5 at the Hotel Plaza site has been identified as an historic 
feature based on the presence of La Salle Filleted pottery (a 
postcontact ceramic style) and the location of this burial overlaying 
and therefore postdating another feature containing historic artifacts. 
At various times during the late 1600s and early 1700s, this section of 
the Illinois River valley was occupied by tribes including the 
Kaskaskia and other Illini groups, the Kickapoo, the Miami, the 
Missouri, the Piankeshaw, the Shawnee, and the Wea. Historical 
documents indicate the Peoria occupied Hotel Plaza and Starved Rock 
from about 1711 to 1720, the most likely date range for this burial and 
therefore likely affiliated with the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma.
    In 1993, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from the Jamestown site (SIUC 21C4-14), Perry County, during salvage 
excavations related to the Burning Star #4 surface mine. No known 
individual was identified. The 65 associated funerary objects include a 
French brass kettle, a woven mat of native fibers, a French butcher 
knife, one silver brooch, one brass or copper C-shaped wire bracelet, 
and two sets of white-tailed deer ribs.
    Although the Jamestown site has been identified as a Late Woodland 
occupation site dating between 450-1000 A.D. based on site 
organization, radiocarbon dates, material culture, and feature 
morphology, this burial dates from the early to middle eighteenth 
century based on the grave construction and associated funerary 
objects. Based on the associated funerary objects, this individual is 
Native Amerian and may have been contemporary with the Illini 
occupations of the Guebert and Kolmer sites, and is likely to be 
Kaskaskia or Michigamea. The Kaskaskia and Michigamea were members of 
the Illini confederacy whose present day descendant is the Peoria Tribe 
of Oklahoma.
    Between 1969-1972, human remains representing thirteen individuals 
were recovered from the River L'Abbe Mission site (11MS2), Madison 
County, during excavations conducted by Melvin L. Fowler and Elizabeth 
D. Benchley of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Charles J. 
Bareis of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. No known 
individuals were identified. The 6,996 associated funerary objects 
include one molded lead cross, eight molded lead brooches, eight brass 
tinkling cones, one brass hawk-bell, one brass Liberty-type bell, iron 
hardware from a burial chest used as a coffin, two iron clasp-knife 
blades, five catlinite triangular pendants, 28 marine shell triangular 
beads, two glass triangular pendants, and 6,723 glass beads.

[[Page 48304]]

    The River L'Abbe Mission site is located on the first terrace of 
Monks Mound, a large Mississippian temple mound on the Mississippi 
River floodplain. This occupation was a French colonial mission and an 
adjoining Cahokia village established in 1735 and abandoned in 1752 
after the Cahokia village was attacked by Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo, and 
Sioux war parties. Based on site context and the associated funerary 
objects, these individuals are Native American and affiliated with the 
1735-1752 Cahokia village occupation. The Cahokia were members of the 
Illini confederacy whose present day descendant is the Peoria Tribe of 
Oklahoma.
    Between 1947-1950 and in 1980, human remains representing sixteen 
individuals were recovered from the Starved Rock site (11LS12), La 
Salle County, by archeologists of the Illinois State Museum, University 
of Chicago, Illinois Department of Conservation and Illinois State 
University. No known individuals were identified. The 2,633 associated 
funerary objects include twelve brass Jesuit rings, one brass bead, 
twelve brass tinkling cones, one brass neck circlet, four brass 
bracelets, two copper coils, one iron knife blade, one gunflint, and 
2,491 glass beads.
    Starved Rock is a prominent landmark on the south bank of the 
Illinois River occupied for thousands of years by Native Americans. 
Historical documents indicate Starved Rock was the site of a French 
fort (1673-1692) and the site of a Peoria occupation (1711-1720). Based 
on dentition, cranial characteristics, and associated funerary objects, 
these individuals have been determined to be Native American and are 
likely to have been Kaskaskia, Peoria, or another of the tribes of the 
Illini confederacy. The present day descendant of the Illini 
confederacy is the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma.
    In 1971, human remains representing 59 individuals were recovered 
from the Waterman site (11RI122), Randolph County, during excavations 
conducted by Margaret Kimball Brown of Michigan State University under 
a grant from the Illinois Department of Conservation. No known 
individuals were identified. The 13,113 associated funerary objects 
include six silver bracelets, two silver crosses, two silver gorgets, 
three silver rings, 28 copper tinkling cones, 26 copper beads, twelve 
brass bells, one brass cross, one brass bracelet, one faience hair 
pendant, two Micmac pipe bowls, one kaolin pipe bowl, one mirror, two 
brandy bottles, 12,705 glass beads, and a small French pistol which 
dates to the early 1700s.
    The Waterman site is a historically documented Michigamea village 
established in 1753 after the destruction of the Michigamea village at 
the Kolmer site in 1752 in an attack by the Sauk, Fox, Kickapoo, and 
Sioux. The Waterman village site was abandoned in 1765 when the British 
took control of Fort de Chartres. Based on dentition, cranial 
characteristics, and the associated funerary objects, these individuals 
have been determined to be Native American; and are likely affiliated 
with the 1753-1765 Michigamea village. The Michigamea were members of 
the Illini confederacy whose present day descendant is the Peoria Tribe 
of Oklahoma.
    In 1947, 1992, and 1995, human remains representing 21 individuals 
were recovered from the Zimmerman site (11LS13), located at the Grand 
Village of the Illinois State Historic Site, La Salle County, during 
excavations conducted by the University of Chicago, the Illinois State 
Museum, and Archaeological Consultants of Normal, IL. No known 
individuals were identified. The 173 associated funerary objects 
include three brass tubular beads, twelve brass coiled-wire hair 
ornaments, one Danner Grooved Paddle pottery vessel, and 92 glass 
beads.
    The Zimmerman site is a multicomponent pre- and postcontact village 
site located on the north bank of the Illinois river opposite Starved 
Rock. Based on dentition, cranial characteristics, and the associated 
funerary objects, these individuals have been determined to be Native 
American. The postcontact component is believed to be the ``Grand 
Village of the Kaskaskia'' noted in French historic documents and maps 
beginning in 1673. The principal inhabitants of the village during the 
late 1600s and early 1700s were the Kaskaskia, Peoria, and other 
members of the Illini confederacy. The Illini confederacy's present day 
descendant is the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Illinois 
State Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the 
human remains listed above represent the physical remains of 120 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Illinois 
State Museum have also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(3)(A), the 32,821 objects listed 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. Lastly, officials of 
the Illinois State Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity which can be 
reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Peoria Tribe of 
Oklahoma, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Ho-Chunk Nation, Winnebago Tribe of 
Nebraska, Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri, Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma, 
Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa, Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, 
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, Forest County Potawatomi Community, 
Hannahville Indian Community, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, and 
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians of Kansas. Representatives of any 
other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with these human remains and associated funerary objects should contact 
Dr. Robert E. Warren, Associate Curator of Anthropology, Illinois State 
Museum, 1011 East Ash Street, Springfield, IL 62703; telephone: (217) 
524-7903, before [thirty days after publication in the Federal 
Register]. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects to the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: September 10, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-24375 Filed 9-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F