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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 102945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29941]

[[Page 102945]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039212; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]

Notice of Inventory Completion: Louisiana State University, 
Museum of Natural Science, Baton Rouge, LA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Louisiana State University, Museum of 
Natural Science (LSUMNS) has completed an inventory of an associated 
funerary object and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation 
between the associated funerary object and Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary object in this notice 
may occur on or after January 17, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Irene Mart[iacute] Gil, LSU Museum of Natural Science, 
119 Foster Hall, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, telephone (225) 578-2855, 
email [email protected].

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 
LSUMNS, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    One associated funerary object has been identified after re-
inventorying the LSUMNS archaeological collections. The associated 
funerary object is a small, anthropomorphic, pottery figurine. This 
figurine was recovered from the Morton Shell Mound site (16IB3) (also 
known as Weeks Island or LMS 33-I-3), located on the Weeks Island salt 
dome in Iberia Parish, LA, by a local individual and donated to the LSU 
Museum of Natural Science when Mr. Robert Neuman was the Curator. The 
LSUMNS never formally accessioned this object and we do not possess any 
further information.
    This notice supplements the original 2022 Notice of Inventory 
Completion published in the Federal Register (87 FR 69307-69313, 
November 18, 2022), which identified only human remains representing 
275 individuals removed from the site as part of an intensive research 
program under the direction of then-LSUMNS Curator of Anthropology 
Robert Neuman between 1969 and 1971.

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 associated funerary objects 
described in this notice.

Determinations

    The LSUMNS has determined that:
     The one object described in this notice is 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 connection between the associated funerary 
object described in this notice and the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the associated funerary object 
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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the associated funerary object described in this 
notice to a requestor may occur on or after January 17, 2025. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, the LSUMNS must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the associated funerary object are 
considered a single request and not competing requests. The LSUMNS 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: December 11, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-29941 Filed 12-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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