[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 10054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3455]



[[Page 10054]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Denver Museum of Nature & 
Science, Denver, CO

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 and associated funerary 
objects in the control of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 
Denver, CO. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Maricopa County, AZ, and an unknown location in Arizona.
    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 Denver 
Museum of Nature & Science professional staff in consultation with 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.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of two 
individuals were removed from an unknown location in Arizona. 
Subsequently, the human remains came into the possession of Walter J. 
Crawford of Americana Galleries. In 1964, Mary W. A. Crane and Francis 
V. Crane acquired the human remains from Mr. Crawford. In 1983, the 
Cranes donated the human remains to the museum (AC.7025A-C and 
AC.8175A-C). No known individuals were identified. The two associated 
funerary objects are ceramic burial jars with lids.
    The ceramic burial jars are identified as Gila River and Gila 
Smudged Red styles. The human remains are cremations, which were placed 
in containers of a type diagnostic of the Hohokam Archaeological 
Tradition, approximately A.D. 1100-1300.
    In 1933, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from a site, later called La Cuidad, on private land in 
Phoenix, Maricopa County, AZ, by Mrs. Stearit, the landowner, while 
digging on her property. Subsequently, and by unknown means, Walter J. 
Crawford of Americana Galleries acquired the human remains. In 1965, 
Mary W. A. Crane and Francis V. Crane acquired the human remains from 
Mr. Crawford. In 1983, the Cranes donated the human remains to the 
museum (AC.9089A-C). No known individual was identified. The one 
associated funerary object is a ceramic burial jar with a cover pot.
    The ceramic burial jar is identified as a diagnostic pottery type 
of the Hohokam Archaeological Tradition, approximately A.D. 1100-1300.
    According to archeological research, common Hohokam funerary 
practices included cremation, placement of the human remains in ceramic 
burial jars, and subsequent burial. Museum records and archeological 
research indicate that the human remains from both sites are Native 
Americans, ancestral to present-day O'odham, Piman, Hopi, and Zuni 
cultures. Consultation with tribal representatives of the Pima and 
Tohono O'odham supports this information. Descendants of the O'odham, 
Pima, Hopi, and Zuni 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 Denver Museum of Nature & Science 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 Denver Museum of Nature & Science also 
have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the three 
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 Denver 
Museum of Nature & Science officials 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 Dr. Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh, Denver Museum of 
Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO 80205, telephone 
(303) 370-6378, before March 26, 2008. Repatriation 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 Denver Museum of Nature & Science 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: January 3, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-3455 Filed 2-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S