[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62540-62541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24965]



[[Page 62540]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Denver Department 
of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology, Denver, CO; Correction

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; correction.

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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 possession of the University of Denver Department of 
Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology, Denver, CO.
    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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by University 
of Denver Department of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, 
Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico (formerly the 
Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa 
Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; 
Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New 
Mexico & Utah; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico. The 
following tribes were contacted, but did not participate in 
consultations: Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, 
New Mexico; Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah; Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ysleta Del Sur 
Pueblo of Texas.
    This notice replaces a Notice of Inventory Completion published in 
the Federal Register of October 9, 2001, (FR Doc 01-25157, page 51474-
51475) and supports a correction notice published in the Federal 
Register of December 10, 2003 (FR Doc 03-30568, pages 68951-68952) that 
had corrected which museum or Federal agency had control of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects per 43 CFR 10.2 (a)(3)(ii), 
transferring control from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, San Juan 
National Forest, Durango, CO, to the University of Denver Department of 
Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology. After further consideration of 
museum records, contract work of a research archeologist, and 
additional consultations with tribes, the University of Denver 
Department of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology have determined 
that the cultural affiliation is incorrect, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(2).
    Between 1921 and 1924, human remains representing a minimum of two 
individuals (catalog number DU 108) were recovered from a pithouse at a 
site near Chimney Rock, (site 5AA245), Archuleta County, CO. The State 
Historical and Natural History Society of Colorado (either in 
collaboration with University of Denver for the first two years or 
later on its own) conducted expeditions in the Pagosa-Piedra region 
where site 5AA245 is located. The field director was J. A. Jeancon, 
then curator of archeology at the State Museum, and was assisted by 
Frank H. H. Roberts, then an instructor at University of Denver, Henry 
B. Roberts, and several students. The site card was recorded by P.M. 
Heberling. No known individuals were identified. The nine associated 
funerary objects are seven nonhuman bones, one lot of plant fiber, and 
one grey ceramic jar with weathered black designs.
    The ceramic jar has been identified by a ceramics expert as a seed 
jar with typical checkerboard black-on-white design, P PII (AD 900-
1100). Site records also indicate black-on-white, plain gray, and 
corrugated sherds, lithic cores and flakes, 2 obsidian flakes, mano and 
metate fragments and whole slab metates, but the cultural items are not 
in the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology collection.
    Henry Roberts described one individual as being found in a cist 
underneath the floor of the pithouse and the other was on the floor, 
just a few inches to the south. The pit had been ``carefully plastered 
with adobe and was just large enough to admit the remains.'' The 
individual found in the cist was found lying on its right side, with 
the right hand under the head and the left arm folded across the chest. 
The knees were flexed and the body faced northwest. According to Mr. 
Roberts, ``there were no artifacts in the grave other than an open bowl 
of the early black-on-white type.'' Mr. Roberts mentions that a fairly 
well-developed black-on-white ware was found on the same level with the 
skeletons.
    The research of Mr. Jeancon, Mr. Roberts, and recent investigators 
has established that the ceramic/architectural sites in the Piedra 
River drainage in the vicinity of Chimney Rock are ancestral Puebloan 
in nature and are generally contemporaneous with the occupations at 
Chimney Rock. The scientific literature also provides significant 
evidence of cultural affiliation between ancestral Puebloan culture and 
the Pueblo communities of today.
    Based on the preponderance of evidence, including archeology, 
architecture, material culture, oral traditions, and expert opinion, 
officials of the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology and Museum 
of Anthropology have reasonably determined that the Native American 
human remains (catalog number DU 108) are ancestral Puebloan. 
Descendants of ancestral Puebloan culture are members of the present-
day tribes of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico 
(formerly Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa 
Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico.
    Officials of the University of Denver Department of Anthropology 
and Museum of Anthropology have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (9-10), the human remains described represent the physical remains 
of a minimum of two individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials 
of the University of Denver Department of Anthropology and Museum of 
Anthropology also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C.3001 
(3)(A), the nine objects described above are reasonably believed

[[Page 62541]]

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 University of Denver Department of Anthropology and 
Museum of Anthropology have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(2), the preponderance of the evidence supports a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico (formerly Pueblo of San 
Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas; 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. Christina Kreps, University of Denver Museum 
of Anthropology, Sturm 146, Denver, CO 80208, telephone (303) 871-2688, 
before November 20, 2008. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Ohkay 
Owingeh, New Mexico; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa 
Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology is responsible for 
notifying the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New 
Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New 
Mexico (formerly the Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New 
Mexico; Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah; Southern Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Ute Indian 
Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Tribe of 
the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; Ysleta Del 
Sur Pueblo of Texas; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 14, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
    Editorial Note:
    This document was received at the Office of the Federal Register on 
October 16, 2008.
[FR Doc. E8-24965 Filed 10-20-08; 8:45 am]
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