[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 31510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10805]



[[Page 31510]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest, Silver City, NM; 
Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; and Logan 
Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College, Beloit, WI

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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the control of the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest, Silver City, NM, and 
in the physical custody of the Arizona State Museum, University of 
Arizona, Tucson, AZ, and Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College, 
Beloit, WI, that meet the definition of ``unassociated funerary 
objects'' under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    In 1933, cultural items were removed from the Mogollon Village site 
in Gila National Forest, Catron County, NM, during legally authorized 
excavations and collections conducted by Dr. Emil Haury of the Gila 
Pueblo Foundation. The 14 cultural items found with or near Native 
American human remains include 1 pottery bowl, 1 stone bowl, 4 
projectile points, 2 stone tools, 1 tubular bead, 3 shell bracelet 
fragments, and 2 mineral pieces. In 1950, the Gila Pueblo Foundation 
transferred the cultural items to the Arizona State Museum. Material 
culture, architecture, and site organization indicate that the Mogollon 
Village site is an Upland Mogollon pithouse village occupied between 
A.D. 600-1050.
    In 1935, cultural items were removed from Geronimo Canyon Ruin in 
Gila National Forest, Catron County, NM, during legally authorized 
excavations and collections conducted by Paul H. Nesbitt of Logan 
Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College. The 19 cultural items are 12 
pottery bowls, 3 pottery jars, 3 pottery pitchers, and 1 pottery olla. 
Based on material culture, Geronimo Canyon Ruin has been identified as 
an Upland Mogollon site occupied before A.D. 1300.
    Between 1935 and 1936, cultural items were removed from the 
Starkweather Ruin in Gila National Forest, Catron County, NM, during 
legally authorized excavations and collections conducted by Paul H. 
Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College. The 13 cultural items 
found with or near Native American human remains include 5 pottery 
bowls, 3 strands of clay and shell beads, 1 shell necklace, 1 strand of 
clay beads, 1 bunch of shell beads from a necklace, 1 shell bracelet, 
and 1 bunch of turquoise beads and pendants from a necklace. Material 
culture, architecture, and site organization indicate that Starkweather 
Ruin is an Upland Mogollon pithouse village occupied between A.D. 1100-
1300.
    Between 1947 and 1949, cultural items were removed from the Jewett 
Gap site in Gila National Forest, Catron County, NM, during excavations 
conducted by J.S. Deric O'Bryan of the Gila Pueblo Foundation. In 1950, 
the Gila Pueblo Foundation transferred the cultural items to Arizona 
State Museum. The 909 cultural items are 190 pottery vessels, 608 shell 
beads, 8 shell bracelets, 5 shell pendants, 3 pebbles, 1 piece of 
shell, 1 piece of bone, 7 projectile points, 2 projectile point 
fragments, 2 stone awls, 1 stone axe, 73 pieces of chipped stone, 7 
pieces of malachite, and 1 crystal. Based on material culture, 
architecture and site organization, the Jewett Gap site has been 
identified as an Upland Mogollon pueblo occupied between A.D. 600-1050.
    The territory of the Upland Mogollon stretched from south-central 
Arizona to south-central New Mexico. The Upland Mogollon territories 
are claimed, currently inhabited, or used by the Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation,New Mexico. Villages had pithouses or pueblo-style houses. 
Most archeological evidence linking Upland Mogollon to present-day 
tribes rely on ceramics, which suggest the early establishment of 
brownware producing groups. Based on material culture, architecture, 
and site organization each of the four sites (Jewett Gap, Mogollon 
Village, Geronimo Ruin Canyon and Starkweather ruin) have been 
identified as Upland Mogollon villages occupied between A.D. 500-1300. 
Present-day descendents of the Upland Mogollon are the Pueblo of Acoma, 
New Mexico; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation. Oral traditions presented by representatives of the Pueblo 
of Acoma, New Mexico; the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico support cultural affiliation.
    The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service controls all cultural 
items removed from the Gila National Forest sites, and acknowledges 
that they are housed and in the physical custody of Arizona State 
Museum and Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College.
    Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Gila National Forest have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(3)(B), the 955 cultural items 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 and are 
believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed from 
a specific burial site of an Native American individual. Officials of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National 
Forest also 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 unassociated funerary objects from the four Upland 
Mogollon sites and the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Dr. Frank E. Wozniak, NAGPRA Coordinator, Southwestern Region, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 333 Broadway Boulevard, 
SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102, telephone (505) 842-3238, before July 1, 
2005. Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to the Pueblo 
of Acoma, New Mexico; the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; and the Zuni Tribe of 
the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National 
Forest is responsible for notifying the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; 
the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 20, 2005.
Paul Hoffman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 05-10805 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
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