[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 168 (Friday, August 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45875-45876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23109]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
from New Mexico in the Possession of the Fort Burgwin Research Center, 
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX

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 from New 
Mexico in the possession of the Fort Burgwin Research Center, Southern 
Methodist University, Dallas, TX.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Southern 
Methodist University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Pueblo of Picuris and the Pueblo of Taos.
    In 1957, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from site TA-8 during legally authorized excavations by the Fort 
Burgwin Research Center. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present. Site TA-8 has been identified 
as a pithouse occupation site likely dating to ca. 1000-1200 AD, based 
on construction and material culture.
    During 1957-1959, human remains representing 42 individuals were 
excavated from Pot Creek Pueblo site (TA-1, LA 260) during 
archeological excavations supervised by G. Willis and R Wetherington. 
No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects 
are present.
    During the late 1950s through 1984, human remains representing 
fifteen individuals were excavated from Pot Creek Pueblo. In 1995, 
these remains were returned to Southern Methodist University from the 
University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1961, human remains representing two individuals were excavated 
from Pot Creek Pueblo site (TA-1, LA 260) during archeological 
excavations supervised by E. Green. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects were present.
    In 1962, human remains representing 18 individuals were excavated 
from site TA-47 during Southern Methodist University archeological 
field school excavations supervised by E. Green. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Site TA-47 
has been identified as a pithouse occupation site likely dating to ca. 
1100-1300 AD, based on construction and material culture.
    In 1963, human remains representing one individual were recovered 
from a burial washing out of an arroyo bank near Pot Creek Pueblo site 
(TA-1, LA 260) and curated at the Fort Burgwin facility. No known 
individual was

[[Page 45876]]

identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1965, human remains representing five individuals were excavated 
from Pot Creek Pueblo site during Southern Methodist University field 
school. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects were present.
    In 1967, human remains representing three individuals were 
excavated at Pot Creek Pueblo during Southern Methodist field school 
excavations. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1967, human remains representing one individual were excavated 
from site TA-26 by Stephanie Holschlag. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Site TA-26 has 
been identified as a small unit pueblo occupied between 1200-1300 AD 
based on ceramics and cultural material recovered during excavations of 
this site.
    In 1968, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from the Sagebrush Pueblo site (TA-500) by Dr. James Sciscenti. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects were 
present. The Sagebrush Pueblo site (TA-500) has been identified as a 
small unit pueblo occupied between 1150-1225 AD based on ceramics and 
cultural material recovered during excavations of this site.
    During 1969-1976, human remains representing 60 individuals were 
recovered at Pot Creek Pueblo (TA-1, LA 260) during archeological field 
schools conducted by Southern Methodist University. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    During 1979-1982, human remains representing fourteen individuals 
were recovered during excavations of the Cerrita pithouse site on the 
Fort Burgwin campus conducted by Dr. Anne Woosley. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present. Based on 
cultural materials and construction, this pithouse site was probably 
occupied during 1100-1200 AD.
    During 1981-1984, human remains representing 21 individuals were 
recovered during field school excavations at the Pot Creek Pueblo (TA-
1, LA 260) conducted by Dr. Anne Woosley and Dr. David Meltzer of 
Southern Methodist University. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    At unknown dates, human remains representing eight individuals were 
removed from precontact sites in the Taos area by Ms. Helen 
Blumenschein and donated to the Fort Burgwin Research Center sometime 
after 1970. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present. Although these individuals have poor 
provenience information due to the lack of field records from the 
archeological work, the appearance and apparent age of the human 
remains is similar to documented precontact human remains in the Taos 
area.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing three individuals 
were excavated under unknown circumstances from site TA-18, a pithouse 
village located in the Taos area. No known individuals were identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present. TA-18 has been identified 
as a pithouse village site occupied between 1100 -1200 A.D. based on 
cultural material.
    Since the 1960s, human remains representing one individual were 
part of the collections at the Fort Burgwin Research Center. No known 
individual was identfied. No associated funerary objects are present. 
Although unprovienced, this individual is known to have been recovered 
during excavations in the Pot Creek area, and shows similar 
characteristics to other human remains recovered in the Pot Creek area. 
There are no indications that this individual could have been recovered 
from any other sites.
    The human remains listed above are all from sites within the Fort 
Burgwin campus or surrounding area. All were recovered prior to the 
establishment of Carson National Forest. Based on oral traditions, 
continuities of material culture, religious and cultural ties, and 
anthropological and ethnographic documentation, Northern Tiwa-speaking 
peoples, represented by the present-day Pueblo of Taos and Pueblo of 
Picuris, have occupied this area since approximately 1100 A.D.
    At some time between 1961-1965, human remains representing one 
individual was removed from Picuris Pueblo during excavations conducted 
by Dr. Herbert Dick. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Picuris Pueblo is a continuously occupied village site dating from 
1100 AD until the present day. Continuities of technology and material 
culture indicate this site has been occupied by Northern Tiwa people 
for this time period.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of Southern 
Methodist University have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains 
of at least 195 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of 
Southern Methodist University 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 the Pueblo of Picuris and the Pueblo of Taos.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Pueblo of Picuris and 
the Pueblo of Taos. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
should contact Dr. Michael A. Adler, Department of Anthropology, 
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275; telephone: (214) 768-
2940, before September 29, 1997. Repatriation of the human remains to 
the Pueblo of Picuris and the Pueblo of Taos may begin after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: August 25, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-23109 Filed 8-29-97; 8:45 am]
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