[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66694-66695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32095]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of Bandelier National 
Monument, National Park Service, Los Alamos, NM

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 in the possession of Bandelier National 
Monument, National Park Service, Los Alamos, NM.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by National 
Park Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of Cochiti, Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of 
Jemez, Pueblo of Laguna, Pueblo of Nambe, Pueblo of Picuris, Pueblo of 
Pojoaque, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of San Ildefonso, Pueblo of San 
Juan, Pueblo of Sandia, Pueblo of Santa Clara, Pueblo of Santo Domingo, 
Pueblo of Taos, Pueblo of Tesuque, Pueblo of Zia, Pueblo of Zuni, the 
Hopi Tribe, and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of Texas.
    In 1904, human remains representing three individuals were 
excavated from the Tsankawi Ruins site by E.A. Hewett and A.V. Kidder 
before the creation of the Monument. No known individuals were 
identified. The three associated funerary objects include textile 
remnants, matting fragments, and one ceramic bowl. Based on the 
associated funerary objects and surface artifacts, the Tsankawi Ruins 
site has been dated to ca. 1440-1550 AD.
    Between 1915-1917, human remains representing 14 individuals were 
recovered from the Otowi Ruins site by Dr. Lucy Wilson during legally 
authorized excavations. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects were present. The Otowi Ruins site has been 
dated to ca. 1200-1400 AD based on tree ring data and surface 
artifacts.

[[Page 66695]]

    Between 1947-1948, human remains representing two individuals were 
excavated from the Tyuonyi Ruins site during legally authorized 
excavations. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present. The Tyuonyi Ruins site has been dated to 
ca. 1325-1600 AD based on pottery sherds and tree ring data.
    In 1963, human remains representing one individual from the Navawi 
site were donated to Bandelier National Monument by Chris Benson and 
John Syska. No known individual was identified. The five associated 
funerary objects are pottery sherds. The Navawi site is located within 
Pueblo of San Ildefonso lands, and has been dated to ca. 1400-1500 AD 
based on the associated funerary objects.
    In 1976, human remains representing 12 individuals were recovered 
from site LA 12119 during legally authorized excavations. No known 
individuals were identified. The two associated funerary objects are 
ceramic bowl fragments. Site LA 12119 has been dated to ca. 1100-1200 
AD, based on tree ring data.
    In 1976, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from site LA 12121 during legally authorized excavations. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present. Site LA 12121 has been identified as a pueblo site occupied 
between ca. 1148-1180 AD, based on tree ring data and archeomagnetic 
dating.
    In August of 1990, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from site LA 3852 during legally authorized excavations by 
Washington State University. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present. Site LA 3852 has been 
identified as a pueblo site occupied between ca. 1150-1250 AD based on 
pottery sherds.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered on the surface from site LA 3849 under unknown conditions. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present. Site LA 3849 has been dated to ca. 1200-1300 AD based on 
pottery sherds and lithics.
    In 1987, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
on the surface of site LA 3756 during legally authorized archeological 
surveys within the monument boundaries. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Site LA 3756 
has been dated to ca. 1200-1315 AD based on pottery sherds.
    The sites listed above are all within or surrounding the Frijoles 
Canyon in Bandelier National Monument. Anthropological evidence 
indicates that Keresan-speaking people (the Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of 
Cochiti, the Pueblo of Laguna, the Pueblo of San Felipe, the Pueblo of 
Santa Ana, the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, and the Pueblo of Zia) and 
Tewa-speaking people (the Pueblo of Nambe, the Pueblo of Pojoaque, the 
Pueblo of San Ildefonso, the Pueblo of San Juan, the Pueblo of Santa 
Clara, the Pueblo of Tesuque, and the present-day Hano community at 
Hopi) occupied the Frijoles Canyon and surrounding area by the 1100s 
based on oral traditions, religious and cultural ties, and 
anthropological and ethnographic documentation.
    Based on the above mentioned information, 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 37 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the National Park 
Service have also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), 
the ten 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 
National Park Service 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 Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of Cochiti, 
Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Laguna, Pueblo of Nambe, 
Pueblo of Picuris, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of 
San Ildefonso, Pueblo of San Juan, Pueblo of Sandia, Pueblo of Santa 
Clara, Pueblo of Santo Domingo, Pueblo of Taos, Pueblo of Tesuque, 
Pueblo of Zia, Pueblo of Zuni, the Hopi Tribe, and Ysleta del Sur 
Pueblo of Texas.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Pueblo of Acoma, 
Pueblo of Cochiti, Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Laguna, 
Pueblo of Nambe, Pueblo of Picuris, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Pueblo of San 
Felipe, Pueblo of San Ildefonso, Pueblo of San Juan, Pueblo of Sandia, 
Pueblo of Santa Clara, Pueblo of Santo Domingo, Pueblo of Taos, Pueblo 
of Tesuque, Pueblo of Zia, Pueblo of Zuni, the Hopi Tribe, and Ysleta 
del Sur Pueblo of Texas. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should contact Roy W. Weaver, 
Superintendent, Bandelier National Monument, National Park Service, HCR 
1, Box 1, Suite 15, Los Alamos, NM 87544; telephone: (505) 672-3861, 
before January 17, 1997. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of Cochiti, 
Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Laguna, Pueblo of Nambe, 
Pueblo of Picuris, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of 
San Ildefonso, Pueblo of San Juan, Pueblo of Sandia, Pueblo of Taos, 
Pueblo of Tesuque, Pueblo of Zia, Pueblo of Zuni, the Hopi Tribe, and 
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of Texas may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: December 9, 1996.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 96-32095 Filed 12-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F