[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 140 (Wednesday, July 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39293-39294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19536]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
in the Control of the Gila National Forest, USDA Forest Service, Silver 
City, NM

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 in the control of 
the Gila National Forest, USDA Forest Service, Silver City, NM.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Arizona 
State Museum, Field Museum, Logan Museum, Maxwell Museum (University of 
New Mexico), Museum of New Mexico, Ohio Historical Society, Peabody 
Museum (Harvard University), University of Texas at Austin, and Western 
New Mexico University Museum professional staffs and USDA Forest 
Service professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Hopi Tribe, the Pueblo of Acoma, and the Pueblo of Zuni.
    In 1935 and 1936, human remains representing 19 individuals were 
recovered from Starkweather Ruin within the Gila National Forest during 
legally authorized excavations by Paul H. Nesbitt of Beloit College, 
Beloit, WI. These human remains are presently curated at the Logan 
Museum at Beloit College. No known individuals were identified. The 45 
associated funerary objects include ceramic vessels and sherds, shell 
and stone jewelry, and a projectile point.
    Based on materical culture, architecture, and site organization, 
the Starkweather Ruin has been identified as an Upland Mogollon 
pithouse village and pueblo occupied between 500-1000 A.D. and 1100-
1300 A.D.
    Between 1935-1955, human remains representing 51 individuals were 
recovered from SU site, Oak Springs Pueblo, Tularosa Cave, Apache Creek 
Pueblo, Turkey Foot Ridge Stie, Wet Leggett Peublo, Three Pines Pueblo, 
South Leggett Pueblo, and Brown site by Dr. Paul Martin of the Field 
Museum, Chicago, IL. These human remains are currently curated at the 
Field Museum, Chicago, IL. No known individuals were identified. The 
115 associated funerary objects include ceramic vessels and sherds, 
stone and shell jewelry, stone and bone tools, and projectile points.
    Based on material culture, architecture, and site organization, the 
nine sites listed in the preceding paragraph have been identified as an 
Upland Mogollon cave, pithouse villages, and pueblos occupied between 
300-1300 A.D.
    In 1955, human remains representing 19 individuals were recovered 
from Apache Creek Pueblo (LA 2949) during legally authorized 
excavations and collections conducted by Stewart Peckham of the Museum 
of New Mexico as part of a New Mexico Highway's Department project. 
These human remains are currently curated at the Museum of New Mexico. 
No known individuals were identified. The 32 associated funerary 
objects include ceramic vessels, and shell and stone jewelry.
    Based on material culture, architecture, and site organization, 
Apache Creek Pueblo (LA 2949) has been idetnfied as an Upland Mogollon 
masonry pueblo with pithouses occupied between 1150-1300 A.D.
    In 1987 and 1988, human remains representing three individuals were 
recovered from the SU site (LA 64931) and the Brown site (LA 68924) 
during legally authorized excavations conducted by Dr. Chip Wills of 
the University of New Mexico as part of a field school. These human 
remains are currently curated at the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, 
University of New Mexico. No known indviduals were identified. The 12 
associated funerary objects include stone tools and animal bone.
    Based on material culture, architecture, and site organization, the 
SU site and the Brown site have been

[[Page 39294]]

identified as an Upland Mogollon village and masonry roomblock occupied 
between 600 1100 A.D.
    Between 1979-1986, human remains representing one individual were 
recovered from the WS Ranch site during legally authorized excavations 
and collections conducted by Dr. James A. Neely of the University of 
Texas at Austin. These human remains are currently curated at the 
University of Texas at Austin. No known individual was identified. The 
five associated funerary objects include lithics, sherds, and ceramic 
jars. The ceramic jars are curated at Western New Mexico University.
    Based on materical culture, architecture, and site organization, 
the WS Ranch site has been identified as an Upland Mogollon masonry 
pueblo occupied between 1150 -1300 A.D.
    In 1933, human remains representing three individuals from Mogollon 
Village during legally authorized excavations and collections conducted 
by Dr. Emil Haury of the Gila Pueblo Foundation. These human remains 
are currently curated at the Peabody Museum, Harvard University and the 
Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. No known individuals were 
identified. The seven associated funerary objects include beads and a 
projectile point fragment.
    Based on material culture, architecture, and site organization, 
Mogollon Village has been identified as an Upland Mogollon pithouse 
village occupied between 600-1050 A.D.
    Between 1947-1949, human remains representing nine individuals were 
recovered from the Jewett Gap site during legally authorized 
excavations and collections by the Gila Pueblo Foundation. These human 
remains are currently curated by the Arizona State Museum, University 
of Arizona. No known individuals were identified. The 26 associated 
funerary objects include ceramic vessels.
    Based on material culture, architecture, and site organization, the 
Jewett Gap site has been identified as an Upland Mogollon pueblo 
occupied between 1000-1150 A.D.
    In 1986, human remains representing one individual from the Eva 
Faust site were recovered during legally authorized excavations and 
collections conducted by Dr. James Neely, University of Texas-Austin. 
These human remains are currently curated at the Western New Mexico 
State University Museum. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects were present.
    Based on material culture and site organization, the Eva Faust site 
has been identified as a Mogollon pithouse village with surface rooms 
occupied between 600-1100 A.D.
    In 1955, human remains representing three individuals were 
recovered from sites LA 2947 and LA 2948 during legally authorized 
excavations and collections conducted by Edwin N. Ferdon of the Museum 
of New Mexico. These human remains are currently curated at the Museum 
of New Mexico. No known individuals were identified. The two associated 
funerary objects include ceramic vessels.
    Based on material culture and site organization, LA 2947 and LA 
2948 have been identified as two Upland Mogollon pithouses occupied 
between 200-1000 A.D.
    In 1971 and 1972, human remains representing a minimum of 49 
individuals were recovered from sites LA 4987, LA 4988, LA 6082, and LA 
6083 during legally authorized excavations and collections conducted by 
David W. Kayser of the Museum of New Mexico. These human remains are 
currently curated at the Museum of New Mexico. No known individuals 
were identified. The 60 associated funerary objects include ceramic 
vessels, a stone bowl, and stone tools.
    Based on material culture, architecture, and site organization, LA 
4987, LA 4988, LS 6082, and LA 6083 have been identified as Upland 
Mogollon pueblos and a pithouse occupied between 1150-1300 A.D.
    In 1973, human remains representing a minimum of four individuals 
were removed without a permit from an un-named site northwest of Apache 
Creek by Mr. Brad Triplehorn. Mr. Triplehorn then donated these human 
remains to the Ohio Historical Society, where they are currently 
curated. No known individuals were identified. The 12 associated 
funerary objects include ceramic sherds and animal bone.
    Based on material culture, this site has been identified as an 
Upland Mogollon site occupied between 600-1300 A.D.
    Continuities of ethnographic materials, technology, and 
architecture indicate affiliation of the Upland Mogollon sites listed 
above with historic and present-day Puebloan cultures. Oral traditions 
presented by representatives of the Hopi Tribe, the Pueblo of Acoma, 
and the Pueblo of Zuni support cultural affiliation with these Upland 
Mogollon sites in this portion of southwestern New Mexico.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the USDA 
Forest Service have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), 
the human remains listed above represent the physical remains of a 
minimum of 162 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of 
the USDA Forest Service have also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 
10.2 (d)(2), the 319 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 USDA Forest Service have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 
10.2 (e), 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 Hopi Tribe, the Pueblo of Acoma, 
and the Pueblo of Zuni.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the the Hopi Tribe, the 
Pueblo of Acoma, and the Pueblo of Zuni. Representatives of any other 
Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with 
these human remains and associated funerary objects should contact Dr. 
Frank E. Wozniak, NAGPRA Coordinator, Southwestern Region, USDA Forest 
Service, 517 Gold Ave., SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102; telephone: (505) 
842-3238, fax (505) 842-3800, before August 21, 1998. Repatriation of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to the the Hopi 
Tribe, the Pueblo of Acoma, and the Pueblo of Zuni may begin after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: June 16, 1998.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 98-19536 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am]
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