[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54728-54729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27320]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects from Pecos Valley, NM in the Possession 
of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 
Cambridge, MA; and the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, 
Phillips Academy, Andover, MA.

AGENCY: National Park Service, DOI.

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 and associated 
funerary objects from Pecos Valley, NM in the possession of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA; 
and the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Phillips Academy, 
Andover, MA.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and Robert S. Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma, the Hopi 
Tribe, the Jicarilla Apache Tribe, the Kiowa Tribe, the Mescalero 
Apache Tribe, the Navajo Nation, Pueblo of Cochiti, the Pueblo of 
Jemez, Pueblo of Santo Domingo, the Pueblo of Zuni, and the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes.
    Between 1915-1929, human remains representing four individuals were 
recovered from Dick's Pueblo during excavations conducted under the 
auspices of Phillips Academy by Alfred Vincent Kidder. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
ceramic vessel and bone tube.
    Based on ceramic types recovered at the site, Dick's Pueblo was 
occupied during the late precontact period, 1300-1450 A.D.; and based 
on archeological evidence, including ceramic analysis and evidence of 
abandonment concurrent with the emergence of Pecos Pueblo suggesting 
migration from Dick's Pueblo to the Pecos Pueblo as part of a pattern 
of coalescence of all Pecos Valley sites to the Pecos Pueblo; Dick's 
Pueblo is known to be ancestral to Pecos Pueblo. Continuities of 
material culture, historical evidence, ethnographic evidence, and oral 
tradition provided during consultation by representatives of the Pueblo 
of Jemez indicate that Pecos Pueblo is a continuing and distinct 
social, political, and religious division within the Pueblo of Jemez.
    Between 1915-1929, human remains representing 115 individuals were 
recovered from the Forked Lightning Pueblo during excavations conducted 
under the auspices of Phillips Academy by Alfred Vincent Kidder. No 
known individuals were identified. The 27 associated funerary objects 
include bone awls, bone tubes, a bone whistle, stone axes, a medicine 
stone, a paint stone, a shrine stone, a ceramic olla, ceramic vessels, 
medicine outfits, projectile points, and modified faunal remains.
    Based on the ceramic types recovered at the site, Forked Lightning 
Pueblo was occupied during the late precontact period, 1175-1400 A.D.; 
and, based on archeological evidence, including ceramic analysis and 
evidence of abandonment concurrent with the emergence of Pecos Pueblo 
suggesting migration from Forked Lightning Pueblo to the Pecos Pueblo 
as part of a pattern of coalescence of all Pecos Valley sites to the 
Pecos Pueblo; Forked Lightning Pueblo is known to be ancestral to Pecos 
Pueblo. Continuities of material culture, historical evidence, 
ethnographic evidence, and oral tradition provided during consultation 
by representatives of the Pueblo of Jemez indicate that Pecos Pueblo is 
a continuing and distinct social, political, and religious division 
within the Pueblo of Jemez. Additionally, collections from the Forked 
Lightning Pueblo are recognized and still used by religious leaders 
from the Pueblo of Jemez.
    Between 1915-1929, human remains representing four individuals were 
recovered from Loma Lothrop during excavations conducted under the 
auspices of Phillips Academy by Alfred Vincent Kidder. No known 
individuals were identified. The two associated funerary objects are a 
bone awl and a ceramic vessel.
    Based on the ceramic types recovered at the site, Loma Lothrop was 
occupied during the late precontact period, 1315-1450 A.D.; and, based 
on archeological evidence, including ceramic analysis and evidence of 
abandonment concurrent with the emergence of Pecos Pueblo suggesting 
migration from Loma Lothrop to the Pecos Pueblo as part of a pattern of 
coalescence of all Pecos Valley sites to the Pecos Pueblo; Loma Lothrop 
is known to be ancestral to Pecos Pueblo. Continuities of material 
culture, historical evidence, ethnographic evidence, and oral tradition 
provided during consultation by representatives of the Pueblo of Jemez 
indicate that Pecos Pueblo is a continuing and distinct social, 
political, and religious division within the Pueblo of Jemez.
    Between 1915-1929, human remains representing 11 individuals were 
recovered from Rowe Pueblo during excavations conducted under the 
auspices of Phillips Academy by Alfred Vincent Kidder. No known 
individuals were identified. The six associated funerary objects 
include ceramic vessels and a ceramic pipe.
    Based on the ceramic types recovered at the site, Rowe Pueblo was 
occupied during the late precontact period, 1250-1450 A.D.; and, based 
on archeological evidence, including ceramic analysis and evidence of 
abandonment concurrent with the emergence of Pecos Pueblo suggesting 
migration from Rowe Pueblo to the Pecos Pueblo as part of a pattern of 
coalescence of all Pecos Valley sites to the Pecos Pueblo; Rowe Pueblo 
is known to be ancestral to Pecos Pueblo. Continuities of material 
culture, historical evidence, ethnographic evidence, and oral tradition 
provided during consultation by representatives of the Pueblo of Jemez 
indicate that Pecos Pueblo is a continuing and distinct social, 
political, and religious division within the Pueblo of Jemez.
    Between 1915-1929, human remains representing 1,788 individuals 
were recovered from Pecos Pueblo and mission church sites during 
excavations conducted under the auspices of Phillips Academy by Alfred 
Vincent Kidder. No known individuals were identified. The 498 
associated funerary objects include ceramic vessels, bone awls, bone 
beads, effigies, bone tubes, ceramic fragments, projectile points, 
stone scrapers, chipped stone implements, a red paint stone, stone 
pendants, shell pendants, ceramic ladles, ceramic pipes, wrappings, 
soil samples, antler tools, faunal bone implements, stone knives, stone 
drills, pieces of obsidian, lumps of paint, hammerstones, stone shaft 
straighteners, a stone palette, faunal remains, fossils, a piece of 
copper ore, polishing stones, and textiles.
    Between 1915-1929, 19 cultural items were recovered from three 
caches in Pecos Pueblo during excavations conducted by Phillips Academy 
under the direction of Alfred Vincent Kidder.

[[Page 54729]]

These associated funerary objects include four anthropomorphic figures, 
one piece of china, eight ground and pecked stones, and six other items 
including lime covered quartz, volcanic stones, and a possible plume 
holder.
    Based on consultation evidence presented by representatives of the 
Pueblo of Jemez, the four anthropomorphic figures were made exclusively 
for burial in these caches and are intended to represent human remains. 
Consultation evidence further indicates that the remaining 15 cultural 
items were intentionally placed with the six figures as associated 
funerary objects.
    Based on the ceramic types recovered from this site, Pecos Pueblo 
was occupied into the historic period 1300-1700. Historic records 
document occupation at the site until 1838 when the last inhabitants 
left the Pueblo and went to the Pueblo of Jemez. In 1936, an Act of 
Congress recognized the Pueblo of Jemez as a ``consolidation'' and 
``merger'' of the Pueblo of Pecos and the Pueblo of Jemez; this Act 
further recognizes that all property, rights, titles, interests, and 
claims of both Pueblos were consolidated under the Pueblo of Jemez.
    Further evidence supporting a shared group identity between the 
Pecos and Jemez pueblos emerges in numerous aspects of present-day 
Jemez life. The 1992-1993 Pecos Ethnographic Project (unrelated to 
NAGPRA) states: ``[T]he cultural evidence of Pecos living traditions 
are 1) the official tribal government position of a Second Lieutenant/
Pecos Governor; 2) the possession of the Pecos Pueblo cane of office; 
3) the statue and annual feast day of Porcingula (Nuestra Senora de los 
Angeles) on August 2; 4) the Eagle Watchers' Society; 5) the migration 
of Pecos people in the early nineteenth century; 6) the knowledge of 
the Pecos language by a few select elders.'' (Levine 1994:2-3)
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Robert S. Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the 
human remains listed above represent the physical remains of 1,922 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Robert S. Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology have also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2), 
the 534 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. Officials of the Robert S. 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology have also determined that, pursuant to 43 
CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 19 objects from the three caches at Pecos Pueblo 
listed above are reasonably believed to have been made exclusively to 
be 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 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Robert S. Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology 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 Pueblo of Jemez.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Apache Tribe of 
Oklahoma, the Comanche Tribe of Oklahoma, the Hopi Tribe, the Jicarilla 
Apache Tribe, the Kiowa Tribe, the Mescalero Apache Tribe, the Navajo 
Nation, Pueblo of Cochiti, the Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Santo 
Domingo, the Pueblo of Zuni, and the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Barbara Issac, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 
022138; telephone (617) 495-2254; or James W. Bradley, Director, Robert 
S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA 01810; 
telephone: (978) 749-4490, before November 12, 1998. Repatriation of 
the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Pueblo of 
Jemez may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
Dated: October 2, 1998.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 98-27320 Filed 10-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F