[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 10009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5850]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Control of Casa Grande National 
Monument, National Park Service, Coolidge, AZ

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 the inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects in the control of the National Park Service 
at Casa Grande National Monument, Coolidge, AZ.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by National 
Park Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Zuni Tribe, the Hopi Tribe, the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Gila 
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa 
Indian Community. Members of the Ak-Chin Indian Community were 
contacted, but were not present at the consultation meeting.
    The Monument's collection of human remains represent a minimum of 
63 Native American individuals and 63 associated funerary objects 
recovered from Hohokam sites within the Monument.
    Human remains recovered from Hohokam sites dating between 975--1400 
A.D. within the Monument boundaries consist of eighteen individual 
cremations and 23 uncremated individuals. No known individuals were 
identified. Associated funerary objects include 43 cremation and 
funerary vessels, one shell artifact, and one worked bone.
    In addition, cremations, burials, and incomplete lots of human bone 
representing a minimum number of 22 individuals whose archeological 
context are unknown have also been classified as Hohokam, primarily 
dating to the Classic Period (1150091400 A.D.). No known individuals 
were identified. Associated funerary objects include eighteen funerary 
vessels and one bead.
    According to oral tradition and historical records, Piman and 
O'odham peoples have direct ties to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 
and the Hohokam sites within the Monument. Oral tradition, ethnography, 
history and archeological evidence also support the cultural 
affiliation of the Zuni Tribe and the Hopi Tribe to the Hohokam sites 
at Casa Grande National Monument.
    A cultural affiliation study concluded that the Zuni Tribe, the 
Hopi Tribe, the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Gila River Indian Community, 
the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and the Ak-Chin Indian 
Community all have cultural ties to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 
and the sites from which the above mentioned human remains and 
associated funerary objects were recovered.
    Based on the above mentioned information, and the consultation with 
the above mentioned tribes, officials of the National Park Service have 
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains 
listed above represent the physical remains of 63 individuals of Native 
American ancestry. National Park Service officials have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 63 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, National Park Service officials 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 Zuni 
Tribe, the Hopi Tribe, the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Gila River Indian 
Community, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and the Ak-
Chin Indian Community .
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Zuni Tribe, the Hopi 
Tribe, the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Gila River Indian Community, the 
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and the Ak-Chin Indian 
Community. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should contact Donald L. Spencer, 
Superintendent, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, 1100 Ruins Drive, 
Coolidge, AZ 85228; telephone: (602) 723093172, before March 11, 1996. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects will 
begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: March 6, 1996
Michele C. Aubry
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist
Archeology and Ethnography Program
[FR Doc. 96-5850 Filed 3-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F