[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 45 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12209-12210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4329]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of Anthropology and 
Ethnic Studies, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

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 possession of the Department of Anthropology and Ethnic 
Studies, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV. The human 
remains and associated funerary object were removed from Washoe County, 
NV.
    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 the 
University of Nevada Las Vegas Department of Anthropology and Ethnic 
Studies professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from a dry lake shore near Winnemuca in Washoe 
County, NV (recorded as AHUR 0123). No information is available 
regarding the circumstances surrounding their removal. No known 
individual was identified. The eight associated funerary objects are 
two stone scrapers, one basket fragment, two faunal bones, one large 
stone slab, and two turquoise fragments.
    The human remains are believed to be pre-contact or early post-
contact Native American, based on the associated funerary objects.
    On April 11, 1983, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from an area two miles north of Nixon, near 
milepost 20 of State Route 447, near Pyramid Lake, Washoe County, NV 
(recorded as FHUR 0002). Records indicate that the human remains were 
discovered by hikers on the east side of Pyramid Lake, on the west 
slope of a ridge behind a large boulder. The burial was completely 
covered by small stones, but the skull and smaller fragments were 
visible to the hikers through a crevice. The human remains were 
subsequently recovered by the Washoe County Coroner. No known 
individual was identified. The four associated funerary objects are one 
machine-printed cloth, one metal pill box, one lot of buttons, and one 
twisted plant fiber.
    The Washoe County Coroner reported that the human remains appeared 
to have been wrapped in multiple layers of cloth and canvas, and the 
body was placed in a flexed position with the knees pulled up to the 
chest. Based on skeletal attributes, this individual was identified as 
Native American. Analyses of the buttons indicate that they date 
between the late 1800s and early 1900s. The location of the human 
remains, as well as the crevice style of burial, indicates that the 
individual was most likely a member of a Great Basin Native American 
tribe.
    On April 18, 1982, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the shore of Pyramid Lake, in Washoe 
County, NV (recorded as FHUR 0003). Records indicate that this crania 
was found by children approximately 100 yards inland from the shore of 
the lake, in an area that had been recently exposed due to decreasing 
water levels. The Washoe County Sheriff's Department subsequently 
conducted additional excavations in the area, but failed to recover any 
additional skeletal materials or artifacts. The human remains were sent 
to the University of Nevada Las

[[Page 12210]]

Vegas for further analysis. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Analysis determined that the human remains are that of a pre-
contact or early historic Native American inhabitant of the Great Basin 
area.
    Archeological evidence suggests that the areas where the human 
remains were found were occupied by Shoshone/Paiute groups in pre-
contact and historic times. Oral history evidence presented by the 
representatives of the Pyramid Lake Paiute further suggests that the 
areas were occupied by the Pyramid Lake Paiute during these time 
periods. Based on these lines of evidence, the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered to be Native American and 
culturally affiliated with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid 
Lake Reservation, Nevada.
    Officials of the Department of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies, 
University of Nevada Las Vegas 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 Department of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies, 
University of Nevada Las Vegas also have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the twelve 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 Department of Anthropology and 
Ethnic Studies, University of Nevada Las Vegas 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 Pyramid Lake 
Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the the human remains and associated 
funerary objects should contact Dr. Karen Harry, Department of 
Anthropology & Ethnic Study, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 
Maryland Parkway, Box 455003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5003, telephone (702) 
895-2534, before April 7, 2008. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the 
Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Department of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies, University of 
Nevada Las Vegas is responsible for notifying the Pyramid Lake Paiute 
Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: January 30, 2008.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-4329 Filed 3-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S