[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 23, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68159-68160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25926]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Angeles National Forest, Arcadia, CA

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 in the possession of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Angeles National 
Forest, Arcadia, CA. The human remains were removed from a site at 
Chilao Flats, Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County, CA.

    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 in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Angeles 
National Forest professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians of the San Manuel 
Reservation, California; Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of 
the Santa Ynez Reservation, California; Native American Heritage 
Commission; and over 70 individuals representing nonfederally 
recognized Indian groups.
    In 1954, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from archeological site 05[macr]01[macr]51[macr]08 
(CA[macr]LAn[macr]1010), located in Chilao Flats, Angeles National 
Forest, Los Angeles County, CA, during salvage excavations conducted by 
archeologists from the Southwest Museum, Highland Park, CA, and the 
Archaeological Survey Association. The excavations were undertaken in 
response to discovery of human remains and artifacts during 
construction of a sewer line for a Forest Service residence. Human bone 
(some fragments burned, others unburned or slightly burned) and 
cultural items were recovered. Following the excavation, the human 
remains were curated at the Southwest Museum under accession number 
28[macr]S until 2004, when they were transferred to Angeles National 
Forest. Records indicate that some material from this excavation was 
loaned back to the Angeles National Forest in the early 1960s at which 
time some of it was lost or stolen. No known individual was identified. 
The 69 associated funerary objects are 11 pieces of charcoal, four 
fragments of red garnet, one piece of jasper, five ochre/hematite 
fragments, one chalcedony flake, one flake identified as chipped stone, 
two obsidian flakes, three quartz crystals, six quartz flakes, three 
unidentified lithics, one groundstone, four groundstone fragments, six 
steatite rim fragments, one burnt fragment of a clay pipe, one pelican 
stone, one pestle, one quartzite projectile point, sixteen stone disc 
beads, and one incised animal bone fragment.
    Based on archeological, ethnohistoric, and linguistic evidence, the 
human remains and associated funerary objects show a cultural 
affiliation with the Serrano peoples. The bead data suggest that the 
human remains from CA[macr]Lan[macr]1010 were interred during the 
Middle period (800 B.C. to A.D. 100). Linguistic and ethnohistoric 
evidence shows that at the beginning of the Middle period, Takic-
speaking peoples, who include both Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and the 
Serrano peoples, moved into the area where the Angeles National Forest 
is today located. The two groups had a common heritage, but were 
diverging by the beginning of the Middle period. Analysis of historical 
records from missions in the area of the San Gabriel Mountains shows 
that at the time of mission recruitment, in the 16th and 17th 
centuries, the occupants of Chilao were descended from the Middle 
period, Phase 2a people of Chilao Flats. The present-day San Manuel 
Band of Serrano Mission Indians of the San Manuel Reservation, 
California traces a shared group identity with the Serrano cultural 
groups that inhabited the area around the site during the Middle 
period.
    Officials of Angeles National Forest have determined that, pursuant 
to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9[macr]10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of at least one individual of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of Angeles National Forest also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 69 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. Lastly, officials of Angeles 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 San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians of the San 
Manuel Reservation, California.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Jody N. Noiron, Forest Supervisor, Angeles 
National Forest, 701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006, 
telephone (626) 574[macr]1613, before December 23, 2004. Repatriation 
of the human remains to the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians 
of the San Manuel Reservation, California may proceed after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.
    Angeles National Forest is responsible for notifying the San Manuel 
Band of Serrano Mission Indians of the San Manuel Reservation, 
California; Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa 
Ynez Reservation,

[[Page 68160]]

California; Native American Heritage Commission; and over 70 
individuals representing nonfederally recognized Indian groups that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 27, 2004
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 04-25926 Filed 11-22-04; 8:45 am]
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