[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 120 (Thursday, June 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33270-33271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15562]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Williamson 
Museum, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of the Williamson Museum, 
Northwestern State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Caddo 
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.
    In the 1960s, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were recovered from the Cedar Bluff site (16WN1), Winn 
Parish, LA, by Clint Pine and H.F. Gregory, who donated these remains 
to the Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University of Louisiana. 
No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Cedar Bluff is located within 12-15 miles of sites known to have 
been inhabited by two historic Caddoan speaking groups, the 
Natchitoches and Doustioni. The archeological sequence derives these 
tribal entities directly from a long occupation of northwestern 
Louisiana by these Caddoan tribal groups. Surface collections including 
sherds and projectile points suggest a Caddo II-III (Belcher-Bossier 
phase, circa A.D. 1200-1500) affiliation for this site.
    In 1939-40, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from the Lawton Gin site, Natchitoches Parish, LA, by an 
unknown person. In the 1960s, the remains were donated to the 
Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, by 
Caroline Dormon. Information in the Dormon Papers in Northwestern State 
University of Louisiana Archives indicates that these remains were 
taken from the Lawton Gin site. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The Lawton Gin site is a postcontact site, dating to the 1700s. 
Consultation with the Caddo Tribe has identified these remains as 
Caddo. In addition, archeological evidence from this and 
contemporaneous sites was used to define the Lawton Phase (A.D. 1714-
1800), which has been culturally identified with the Natchitoches 
confederacy of the Caddo. Lawton Phase sites cluster around 
Natchitoches, which was established as a French trading post in 1714. 
While other tribes visited the area to trade, the Native American 
settlements were Caddoan. The archeological evidence for the cultural 
continuity between Lawton Phase sites and the Caddo Tribe consists 
primarily of ceramic styles, vessel forms, and geographical locations. 
The historical record includes documentary and cartographic materials 
describing the Natchitoches confederacy of the Caddo Tribe, which lived 
along the Red River near Natchitoches.
    In the 1970s, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were recovered from the J.C. LaCaze site, Natchitoches 
Parish, LA, by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students, who 
donated them to the Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University of 
Louisiana. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The remains were collected from the surface of a plowed field. 
Sherd collections suggest that this midden site dates to Caddo I period 
(A.D. 900-1200). Archeological evidence in northwestern Louisiana, 
eastern Texas, and southwestern Arkansas suggests that the contemporary 
Caddo people are the descendants of peoples whose cultural development 
began in the Caddo I period.
    In the 1980s, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were recovered from the Luster site (16NA403), Bayou Terre

[[Page 33271]]

Blanche, Natchitoches Parish, LA, by H.F. Gregory and Randall Pleasant, 
who donated them to the Williamson Museum, Northwestern State 
University of Louisiana. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The remains were collected from the backdirt of a pot-hunter's 
excavation. Sherd collections from this midden seem to date it to the 
Caddo III-IV periods (A.D. 1200-1400). The Adaes were the nearest 
historic Caddoan group. To the north were historic Yatasi villages, and 
about 16 miles east were the Natchitoches villages. All of these groups 
are Caddoan speakers.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the 
Williamson Museum, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, have 
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains 
listed above represent the physical remains of four individuals of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Williamson Museum, 
Northwestern State University of Louisiana, also have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a relationship of shared group 
identity that can be reasonably traced between these Native American 
human remains and the Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Caddo Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains should 
contact Dr. Pete Gregory, Director, Williamson Museum, Northwestern 
State University of Louisiana, Natchitoches, LA 71497, telephone (318) 
357-8170, before July 23, 2001. Repatriation of the human remains to 
the Caddo Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: May 25, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-15562 Filed 6-20-01 ; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F