[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5105-5106]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2025]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 5106]]

    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 Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State 
Museum (Burke Museum), University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Lopez Island, 
San Juan County, WA.
    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 Burke 
Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, 
Washington; and Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, 
Washington.
    In 1968, human remains representing a minimum of 25 individuals 
were removed from Watmough Bay (45-SJ-280), in the southern part of 
Lopez Island, San Juan County, WA, by a University of Washington Field 
School led by David Munsell. The collection was transferred from the 
University of Washington Anthropology Department to the Burke Museum in 
the 1970s. The collection was formally accessioned by the museum in 
1996 (Accn. 1996-121). No known individuals were identified. 
The 74 associated funerary objects are 2 stone flakes; 5 unmodified 
stones; 1 bone bipoint; 1 bone tool; 1 bone tube; 5 charcoal samples; 1 
core; 1 dog cranium; 1 hammerstone; 2 harpoon points; 5 modified bones; 
2 mudstone concretions (one unmodified and one modified); 4 net 
weights; 1 point; 1 sediment sample (in three bags); 1 modified shell; 
2 unmodified shells; 1 lot unmodified dentalium shells; 2 lots of bone 
and shell; 6 lots of non-human bone; 1 lot non-human bone, stone, and 
shell; 1 lot plant material mixed with human bone; 1 lot stone; and 26 
level bags containing stone, charcoal, shell, mammal, fish, and bird 
bones.
    The Watmough Bay archeological site is a shell midden site 
containing cultural objects consistent with prehistoric Native American 
technologies. Radiocarbon dates (2- sigma calibrated) for this site 
indicate discontinuous dates of 1060 to 2785 years ago, and with one 
later date of 285 to 50 years ago. The majority of dates for the site 
fall in the range of 1250 to 1650 years ago. Burial context in a shell 
midden in non-articulated burials is consistent with prehistoric Coast 
Salish burial practices, and indicates that the human remains described 
above are Native American.
    In 1944, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from Lopez Island, San Juan County, WA, by Mr. and Mrs. 
Ira Wood. In 1944, the human remains were donated to the Burke Museum 
by Joy Kirkpatrick (Burke Accn. 3349). No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1968, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from Mud Bay, Lopez Island, San Juan County, WA. The human 
remains were removed by a University of Washington field party led by 
David Munsell. The collection was transferred from the University of 
Washington Anthropology Department to the Burke Museum in the 1970s, 
and was formerly accessioned in 1996 (Burke Accn. 1996-121). 
In 1998, the human remains were found in level bags at the museum. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1968, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from Mackaye Harbor, Lopez Island, San Juan County, WA. 
The human remains were removed by a University of Washington field 
party led by David Munsell. The collection was transferred from the 
University of Washington Anthropology Department to the Burke Museum in 
the 1970s, and was formerly accessioned in 1996 (Burke Accn. 
1996-121). In 2000, the human remains were found in level bags 
at the museum. No known individual was identified. The one associated 
funerary object is one bag of mammal and fish bones.
    In 1945, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from the Richardson site (45-SJ-185), Lopez Island, San 
Juan County, WA. The human remains were excavated by Mr. Carroll 
Burroughs, and transferred to the Burke Museum in 1951 (Burke Accn. 
3649). In 2000, the human remains were found in the 
collection. No known individual was identified. The five associated 
funerary objects are four mammal bones and one projectile point.
    Historical documentation indicates that the southern Lopez Island 
area is part of the Samish aboriginal territory [Suttles (1951 and 
1990), Smith (1941), Roberts (1975), and Tremaine (1975)]. The Treaty 
of Point Elliot in 1855 stated that the Samish were to be relocated to 
the Lummi Reservation. After the Treaty of Point Elliot in 1855, many 
Samish individuals relocated to either the Lummi Reservation or the 
Swinomish Reservation (Ruby and Brown 1986:179). Many Samish, however, 
chose to remain in their old village sites. In 1996, the Samish Indian 
Tribe was re-recognized by the Federal government.
    Officials of the Burke Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the 
physical remains of at least 29 individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Burke Museum also have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 80 objects listed 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 Burke 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 Lummi Tribe of 
the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and 
Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of 
Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-9364, 
before March 3, 2010. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation 
Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and Swinomish Indians of 
the Swinomish Reservation, Washington may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Lummi Tribe of 
the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; and 
Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: December 23, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-2025 Filed 1-29-10; 8:45 am]
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