[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8356-8357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2572]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State Museum, University 
of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

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 and 
control of the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. 
The human remains were removed from Pima 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 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 Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona is acting 
on behalf 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, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and themselves.
    In 1979, human remains representing a minimum of four individuals 
were removed from the Burruel site, AZ AA:16:58(ASM), which is located 
on private land adjacent to the San Xavier Indian Reservation, Pima 
County, AZ. The human remains were inadvertently discovered by the 
property owner and excavations were conducted by staff from the Arizona 
State Museum. The human remains and several associated funerary objects 
were brought to the museum for documentation in 1979, and the 
associated objects were returned to the property owner later that same 
year. The owner donated the human remains to the Arizona State Museum 
in 1980. No known individuals are present. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The Burruel site includes at least two trash mounds and a cremation 
area. Ceramics associate the site with the Tanque Verde phase of the 
Classic period of the Hohokam Archaeological tradition, approximately 
A.D. 1150 - 1450. The human remains were cremated and contained within 
ceramic vessels. The burial context and time period indicate that the 
human remains represent individuals of Native American ancestry.
    Father Eusebio Kino visited the O'odham village of Bac in 1692 and 
established Mission San Xavier. He reported the presence of 800 
inhabitants at the time of his first visit. O'odham people have 
continued to occupy the land in the vicinity of the mission throughout 
the historic period. They also identify themselves with the Hohokam 
Archaeological tradition. Cultural continuity between the prehistoric 
occupants of the region and present day O'odham, Pee-Posh, and Puebloan 
peoples is supported by continuities in settlement pattern, 
architectural technologies, basketry, textiles, ceramic technology, 
ritual practices, and oral traditions. The descendants of the O'odham, 
Pee-Posh, and Puebloan peoples of the areas described above are members 
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.
    Officials of the 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 four individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Arizona State Museum 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 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 should contact John 
Madsen, Repatriation Coordinator, Arizona State Museum, University of 
Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, telephone (520) 621-4795, before March 14, 
2008. Repatriation of the human remains 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

[[Page 8357]]

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: December 19, 2007.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-2572 Filed 2-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S