[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 112 (Monday, June 12, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30897-30898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14295]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Inventory Completion for Human Remains and Associated 
Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d), of completion of Inventory for 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects presently 
in the possession of the Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects consist of three 
sets of human remains and associated funerary objects which were 
collected by Frank Midvale from La Ciudad Ruin, a Hohokam site in 
Phoenix, Arizona between 1927 and 1929. Artifacts from the site, which 
was located on property then owned by the Museum, were transferred to 
the Museum for preservation as a field collection subsequent to their 
excavation. One set of remains (NA-SW-SD-A1-15) consists of a cremation 
associated with a Gila Red bowl and an unidentified potsherd. The 
second set (NA-SW-SD-A1-18) consists of a cremation associated with a 
Gila Red jar. The third set (NA-SW-SD-T-1) consists of cranial 
material. These materials were originally cataloged by the Museum as 
Salado, but were reidentified in 1994 as Hohokam, based on the La 
Ciudad site provenience and reevaluation of the associated funerary 
objects.
    In 1990, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community adopted a 
joint policy statement along with three other central Arizona tribes, 
which includes the Ak-Chin Indian Community, Gila River Indian 
Community, and the Tohono O'Odham Indian Nation. The policy statement 
asserted that these four communities claim an affiliation to ancestors 
defined as ``Hohokam''. In October 1993, the Museum supplied a summary 
and inventory of its holdings identified as Pima, Maricopa, Hohokam, 
Salado or Sinagua to the affiliated central Arizona tribes.
    On April 19, 1995, a representative of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa 
Indian Community visited the Museum for an initial consultation, during 
which time it was determined that the tribe would seek return of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects from La Ciudad Ruin as 
part of their annual reburial ceremony. Subsequently, the Salt River 
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community has requested these three sets of 
remains and associated funerary objects in a letter dated April 20, 
1995. The Museum's Board of Trustees responded positively to the 
request on April 26, 1995.
    Inventory of the human remains and funerary objects and review of 
accompanying documentation from the three sets of Native American human 
remains listed above indicate that no known individuals were 
identifiable.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Heard 
Museum have determined that, [[Page 30898]] pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(2), there is a relationship of shared group identity which can be 
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and the 
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. All of the objects are 
reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual Native 
American human remains either at the time of death or later as part of 
a death rite or ceremony.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Salt River Pima-
Maricopa Indian Community, the Ak-Chin Indian Community, Gila River 
Indian Community and the Tohono O'Odham Indian Nation. Representatives 
of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally 
affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary objects 
should contact Martin Sullivan, Director, The Heard Museum, 22 E. Monte 
Vista Road, Phoenix Arizona 85004-1480, telephone (602) 252-8840 before 
July 12, 1995. Repatriation of the cultural item to the Salt River 
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: June 2, 1995.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist
Chief, Archeological Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 95-14295 Filed 6-9-95; 8:45 am]
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