[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 91 (Thursday, May 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27510-27511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7179]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State Land Department, 
Phoenix, AZ, and Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, 
AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 control of the Arizona State Land Department, Phoenix, 
AZ, and in the physical custody of the Arizona State Museum, University 
of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Pinal 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 and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Arizona 
State Museum 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; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-
Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico. The Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation, Arizona is acting on behalf of the Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and 
themselves.
    In June 1985, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from site AZ U:15:110 ASM, near Florence in 
Pinal County, AZ, during legally authorized archeological 
investigations conducted by the Cultural Resources Management Division 
of the Arizona State Museum. The human remains consist of a human tooth 
that was brought to the museum for curation. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The ceramic assemblage included a high percentage of Santa Cruz 
Red-on-buff wares. On this basis the site has been identified as being 
associated with the Santa Cruz phase of the late Colonial period of the 
Hohokam archeological tradition, which spanned the years A.D. 700-900.
    In June 1985, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from site AZ U:15:111 ASM, near Florence in 
Pinal County, AZ, during legally authorized archeological 
investigations conducted by the Cultural Resources Management Division 
of the Arizona State Museum. The fragmentary cremated human remains 
were brought to the Arizona State Museum for analysis and curation. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The ceramic assemblage included a high percentage of Santa Cruz 
Red-on-buff wares. On this basis, as well as attributes of 
architectural technology, this site has been identified as being 
associated with the Santa Cruz phase of the late Colonial period of the 
Hohokam archeological tradition, which spanned the years A.D. 700-900.
    In May and July 1989, human remains representing a minimum of three 
individuals were removed from site AZ U:15:134 ASM, near Florence in 
Pinal County, AZ, during legally authorized archeological 
investigations conducted by the Cultural Resources Management Division 
of the Arizona State Museum. The fragmentary cremated human remains 
were brought to the Arizona State Museum for analysis and curation. No 
known individuals were identified. The 36 associated funerary objects 
are 35 ceramic sherds and 1 hammerstone.
    The ceramic assemblage at this site, included mostly Santa Cruz 
Red-on-buff or early Sacaton Red-on-buff wares. This indicates a date 
at the transition between the Santa Cruz phase of the late Colonial 
period and the Sacaton phase of the early Sedentary period of the 
Hohokam archeological tradition, around A.D. 900. Attributes of the 
mortuary program and architectural style are consistent with this 
identification.
    Continuities of mortuary practices, ethnographic materials, and 
technology indicate affiliation of Hohokam settlements with present-day 
O'odham (Piman), Pee Posh (Maricopa), and Puebloan cultures. 
Documentation submitted by representatives of the Gila River Indian 
Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona on August 4, 
2000, addresses continuities between the Hohokam and the O'odham and 
Pee Posh tribes. Furthermore, oral traditions that are documented for 
the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt

[[Page 27511]]

River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico support affiliation with Hohokam sites in 
central Arizona during both the Santa Cruz phase and late Colonial 
period
    Officials of the Arizona State Land Department and Arizona State 
Museum 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 Arizona State 
Land Department and Arizona State Museum also have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 36 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 Arizona State Land Department and 
Arizona State Museum 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; Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe 
of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact John Madsen, Repatriation Coordinator, Arizona 
State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, telephone (520) 
621-4795, before June 12, 2006. 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; Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe 
of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Arizona State Museum is responsible for notifying the Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation 
of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 26, 2006
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-7179 Filed 5-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S