[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 66487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29504]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Idaho, Alfred W. 
Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology, Moscow, ID

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers 
Laboratory of Anthropology, Moscow, ID. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from unknown locations in 
central and southern Arizona.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of 
the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the 
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 the 
University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of five 
individuals were removed from unknown locations in central and southern 
Arizona by unidentified persons. The human remains were gifted to the 
Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, MT, by an unknown person at an 
unknown date. In 1988, the human remains were transferred to the 
University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology. No 
known individuals were identified. The five associated funerary objects 
in which the cremated human remains were buried are one Gila Red 
ceramic vessel, two Tanque Verde Red-on-Brown ceramic vessels, and two 
Hohokam Plain ceramic vessels.
    Archeological evidence indicates that the Gila Red, Tanque Verde 
Red-on-Brown, and Hohokam Plain pottery types are clearly associated 
with the Classic period (A.D. 1250-1350) of the Hohokam culture of 
central and southern Arizona. Archeological evidence indicates that pit 
or urn cremations were a common Hohokam burial practice. Archeological 
evidence and oral traditions demonstrate a strong relationship of 
shared group identity between the Hohokam and the present-day Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.
    Officials of the University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory 
of Anthropology have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-
10), the human remains described above represent the physical remains 
of five individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology also 
have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the five 
objects described 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 University 
of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a relationship of shared 
group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Leah K. Evans-Janke, University of Idaho, Alfred 
W. Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology, Moscow, ID 83844-1111, telephone 
(208) 885-3733, before December 26, 2003. Repatriation of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Ak Chin Indian Community 
of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River 
Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt 
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory of 
Anthropology is responsible for notifying Ak Chin Indian Community of 
the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian 
Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt River 
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; 
and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: October 21, 2003.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources.
[FR Doc. 03-29504 Filed 11-25-03; 8:45 am]
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