[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66487-66488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29505]


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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, and the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, Forest Service, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Baker 
City, OR

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, and in the control of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Wallowa-Whitman National 
Forest, Baker City, OR. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from burial sites in Nez Perce County, ID.
    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

[[Page 66488]]

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 Nez 
Perce Tribe of Idaho.
    On September 27-28, 1986, human remains representing a minimum of 
two individuals were removed from the Cottonwood Creek site (10NP182), 
Nez Perce County, ID, by Dr. Frank Leonardy. Dr. Leonardy's excavation 
was part of a criminal investigation of an illegal excavation of 
archeological resources on public land without a permit pursuant to the 
Archaeological Resources Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. 470cc (a). No known 
individuals were identified. The 29 associated funerary objects are 5 
dentalia beads, 2 bags of dentalia fragments, 8 bags of ochre, 12 bags 
of unidentifiable bone fragments, and 2 bags of mixed dentalia and 
bone.
    Archeological evidence indicates that the burials at the Cottonwood 
Creek site predate A.D. 1805. During consultation, a representative of 
the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho indicated that the Nez Perce Tribe of 
Idaho is directly related to the people who were buried at the 
Cottonwood Creek site. The Cottonwood Creek site is located within the 
area ceded by the Nez Perce to the United States pursuant to the Nez 
Perce Treaty of June 9, 1863 (14 Stat. 647), and is located within the 
area recognized by a final judgment of the Indian Claims Commission as 
the aboriginal land of the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho (18 Ind. Cl. Comm. 
1, 1967).
    Officials of the University of Idaho, Alfred W. Bowers Laboratory 
of Anthropology and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the University of Idaho, Alfred W. 
Bowers Laboratory of Anthropology and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest 
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 29 
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 and Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest 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 Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho.
    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 Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho 
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 the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 22, 2003.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources.
[FR Doc. 03-29505 Filed 11-25-03; 8:45 am]
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