[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 78 (Friday, April 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20020-20021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10209]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of Bandelier National Monument, National Park Service, Los Alamos, 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 10.10 
(a)(3), of the intent to repatriate cultural items in the possession of 
Bandelier National Monument, National Park Service, Los Alamos, NM, 
which meet the definition of ``sacred object'' under Section 2 of the 
Act.
    The 53 cultural items are projectile points.
    In 1909, one projectile point was recovered during Edgar Hewett's 
excavation of the Tyuonyi site. The Tyuonyi site is believed to have 
been occupied between AD 1325-1600 on the basis of ceramic and tree-
ring data from the site.
    In 1943, J.W. Hendron recovered five projectile points from the 
Group M cavates in Frijoles Canyon. On the basis of ceramic data, the 
occupation of this site is believed to have been between AD 1400-1550.
    Between 1948-1955, 29 projectile points were recovered from the 
Rainbow House site by Fredrick Worman and Louis Caywood. On the basis 
of ceramic and tree-ring dating of the site, these items are believed 
to date between AD 1400-1500.
    Between 1974-1978, 15 projectile points were recovered from the 
Cochiti Flood Pool by National Park Service archeological crews. On the 
basis of ceramic and radiocarbon dating of sites in the Flood Pool, 
these items are dated between AD 1200-1600.
    Monument accession and catalog records do not record the 
provenience for three projectile points. However, all are believed to 
have been recovered from the monument, as they are very similar to the 
type and appearance of other items found at sites in the monument area. 
On the basis of information from similar objects found in the area, the 
estimated dates of these items are between AD 1200-1600.
    Anthropological, archeological, and oral tradition evidence 
indicates that the monument area has been continuously occupied by 
Keres-speaking pueblo groups (including the Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of 
Cochiti, Pueblo of Laguna, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of Santa Ana, 
Pueblo of Santo Domingo, and Pueblo of Zia) and the Tewa-speaking 
pueblo groups (including the Pueblo of Nambe, Pueblo of Pojoaque, 
Pueblo of San Ildefonso, Pueblo of San Juan, Pueblo of Santa Clara, 
Pueblo of Tesuque, and the present-day Hano community at Hopi) since at 
least AD 1100.
    In 1995, representatives of Bandelier National Monument continued 
consultation with the Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico, as part of its 
NAGPRA compliance process. Two Cochiti traditional religious leaders 
reviewed the Monument's entire archeological collection and identified 
53 projectile points as needed for the practice of traditional Cochiti 
religion by present-day adherents. After reviewing information obtained 
through tribal consultation, as well as considering recommendations 
forwarded by the NAGPRA Review Committee, National Park Service 
officials determined that in this instance these 53 projectile points 
meet the definition of ``sacred object'' under Section 2 of the Act. 
Information regarding the names of the traditional religious leaders 
and the specific ceremonies in which these objects will be used is 
being withheld from this notice by the Superintendent of the

[[Page 20021]]

Monument, at the request of the Cochiti representatives, in order to 
not compromise the Pueblo de Cochiti's code of religious practice.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, and the recommendations 
of the NAGPRA Review Committee, officials of the National Park Service 
have agreed that, pursuant to 42 CFR 10.2(d)(3), these 53 projectile 
points are needed by traditional Native American religious leaders for 
the practice of traditional Native American religion by present-day 
adherents. Officials of the National Park Service have also determined 
that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(e), there is a relationship of shared 
group identity which can be reasonably traced between these objects and 
the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Juan, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New 
Mexico; and Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Juan, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New 
Mexico; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico. 
Representatives of any other Indian Tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these 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, 
ext. 501 before [thirty days after publication in the Federal 
Register]. Repatriation of these cultural items to the Pueblo of 
Cochiti, New Mexico, may begin after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
Dated: April 15, 1999.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 99-10209 Filed 4-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F