[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18976-18977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8988]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Nevada State 
Museum, Carson City, NV

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 and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of the Nevada State Museum, Carson 
City, NV.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Nevada State 
Museum professional staff in consultation with designated Washoe Tribe 
of Nevada and California NAGPRA representatives Jody Steele, Janelle 
Conway, and William Dancing Feather.
    In 1926, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from the east side of Washoe Lake, Washoe County, NV, by Paran Flagg. 
Mr. Flagg donated these remains to the Nevada Historical Society in 
1927. The Nevada Historical Society is an agency within the Nevada 
Division of Museums and History. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The remains were radiocarbon dated to circa 25 B.C. Based on the 
cranial form, dental traits, and age of the human remains, this 
individual is identified as Native American. Consultation evidence, 
tribal oral history, linguistic evidence, and archeological data 
indicate that the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California has occupied 
the Washoe Lake area for several thousand years. Although one 
ethnographic report states that the Washoe abandoned the eastern side 
of Washoe Lake for an unknown period of time, this was not confirmed 
during consultation.
    In 1956, human remains representing one individual were collected 
from a talus slope near Airport Way in Carson City, NV, by Carson City 
Police Department Sheriff Newton. The remains were donated to the 
Nevada State Museum, presumably the same year, after they were 
determined to be pre-modern Native American. No known individual was 
identified. The 64 associated funerary objects include 2 shoes, shell 
beads, a metal ring, rope fragments, fragments of 4 different fabric 
types, and a kitchen knife.
    The shoes date this burial to circa 1902. Based on biometric 
attributes, cranial shape, dental traits, and associated shell beads, 
this individual has been identified as Native American. The talus slope 
burial site is consistent with ethnographic reports of historic-period 
Washoe burial practices.
    In 1963, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from within the boundaries of the G. Hollister Ranch, Douglas County, 
NV, by an unknown individual. The remains were donated to the Nevada 
State Museum, presumably the same year, by an unknown individual. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on cranial form and archeological context, these remains have 
been identified as Native American. Consultation evidence indicates 
that the burial locality is near known Washoe encampments and burial 
localities.
    In 1974, human remains representing one individual were encountered 
during irrigation ditch expansion south of Gardnerville, NV, on Washoe 
Tribe of Nevada and California Reservation land. They were donated the 
same year to the Nevada State Museum by Robert Frank, Washoe Tribe of 
Nevada and Reservation tribal chairman. No known individual was 
identified. The 1,307 associated funerary objects include watch and 
watch chain fragments, 15 buttons, 1,266 glass beads, 1 coin, 17 
leather and shell fragments, 1 basalt flake, 3 wood fragments, and shoe 
parts.
    The associated coin dates the deposition of the remains to circa 
1892. Based on the geographical setting, dental traits, and associated 
funerary objects, the remains are identified as Native American.
    In the 1970s, human remains representing one individual were 
removed from an unknown location in a residential section of Sun 
Valley, NV, by Nevada Archaeological Survey staff A. Jensen. The 
remains were donated to the Nevada State Museum during the same time 
period. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Based on the burial context indicating a prehistoric burial, these 
remains are identified as Native American.
    In 1983, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from the vicinity of Clear Creek, Carson City, NV, by Nevada Division 
of Investigations staff Mr. Compton. The remains were identified as 
premodern Native American and donated to the Nevada State Museum by the 
Nevada Division of Investigations. No known individual was identified. 
The 47 associated funerary objects include a metal Levi Straus clothing 
stud (patented in 1873), leather, cloth, metal fragments, and a glass 
button.
    The associated funerary objects date the burial to post-1873. Based 
on geographical location, cranial shape, and dental traits, this 
individual has been identified as Native American.
    In 1984, human remains representing one individual were exposed 
during private construction near Genoa, NV. These remains were donated 
to the Nevada State Museum the same year by an unknown individual. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.

[[Page 18977]]

    Based on cranial form and a burial context associated with recent 
geological sediments that indicate a late prehistoric date of 
deposition, the human remains have been identified as Native American.
    In 1987, human remains representing one individual were discovered 
in a private gravel pit near Dayton, NV. The remains and objects were 
donated to the Nevada State Museum by the Lyon County Sheriff's Office 
after identifying the remains as premodern Native American. No known 
individual was identified. The 1,079 associated funerary objects are a 
shoe, a silk scarf, a safety pin, a large locket, 3 embossed brass 
ornaments, a ribbon, 3 finger rings, 2 ceramic buttons, 42 large glass 
beads, approximately 1,000 glass seed beads, 15 fragments of red and 
black fabric, 7 fragments of an unidentified ornament, 1 steel bracket, 
and a sample of decayed wood or bark fragments.
    Craniometric analysis indicates that this individual was of Native 
American and African-American descent. The shoe suggests that the 
remains date to 1874-1908.
    In 1987, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from the east side of Washoe Lake, Washoe County, NV, by an unknown 
person. These remains were donated to the Nevada Division of State 
Parks by an unknown individual. The Nevada Division of State Parks 
transferred the remains to the Nevada State Museum the same year. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on cranial form and archeological context, these human 
remains have been identified as Native American.
    In 1994, human remains representing one individual were removed 
during archeological excavations by Intermountain Research, Inc. staff 
under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers at a site on private land near Carson Hot Springs, Carson 
City, NV. The remains were donated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
to the Nevada State Museum the same year. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on the archeological context the remains are identified as 
Native American.
    In 1997, human remains representing one individual were removed 
from a construction site at Taylor Street, Reno, Washoe County, NV. The 
remains were donated to the Nevada State Museum by the Washoe County 
Coroner's Office after determining that the remains were premodern 
Native American. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on cranial form and archeological context, these remains are 
identified as Native American.
    Consultation evidence, tribal oral history, linguistic evidence, 
and archeological evidence indicate that the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and 
California has occupied a traditional territory in western Nevada for 
over two millennia. The human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice were removed from 11 geographical locations 
within this traditional territory. These human remains and associated 
funerary objects all date to the last 2,000 years. There is no evidence 
to contradict this.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Nevada 
State Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(1), the 
human remains listed above represent the physical remains of 11 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the Nevada State 
Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(2), the 
2,497 cultural items 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 
Nevada State Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(e), 
there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably 
traced between these Native American human remains and associated 
funerary objects and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Washoe Tribe of 
Nevada and California. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should contact Dr. Alanah Woody, Nevada 
Division of Museums and History NAGPRA Coordinator, 600 North Carson 
Street, Carson City, NV 89701, telephone (775) 687-4810, extension 229, 
before May 14, 2001. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California may begin 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: March 28, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-8988 Filed 4-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F