[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 31512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10818]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, NY

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 
American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY. The human remains 
were removed from the Hopi Indian Reservation, Navajo County, AZ.
    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 American 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona.
    In 1900, human remains representing a minimum of three individuals 
were collected by Dr. Ales Hrdlicka from the base of Second Mesa, Hopi 
Indian Reservation, Navajo County, AZ. Dr. Hrdlicka gifted the human 
remains to the American Museum of Natural History that same year. The 
human remains were cataloged as Moki, a dated term for Hopi. The 
original burial site is located on the Hopi Indian Reservation. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The individuals have been identified as Native American based on 
mode of burial and a catalog label of Moki, a dated term for the Hopi. 
The provenience of the remains at the base of Second Mesa suggests an 
association with one of the (primarily) historic towns situated at the 
top of Second Mesa. Burial within rocks at the mesa margin is 
consistent with the post-contact Hopi practice of disposing of epidemic 
victims.
    Although the lands from which the human remains were collected are 
currently under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the 
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the American Museum of Natural 
History has control of the human remains since their removal from 
tribal land predates the permit requirements established by the 
Antiquities Act of 1906.
    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the American Museum of Natural History 
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 Native American human remains and the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Nell 
Murphy, Director of Cultural Resources, American Museum of Natural 
History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192, 
telephone (212) 769-5837, before July 1, 2005. Repatriation of the 
human remains to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona may proceed after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Hopi Tribe of Arizona that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 20, 2005
Paul Hoffman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 05-10818 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S