[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52016-52017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20941]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department, Austin, TX

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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 
Austin, TX. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from El Paso County, TX.
    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 Texas Parks 
and Wildlife Department professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of 
Texas.
    In 1972, human remains representing a minimum of four individuals 
were removed from House 2, Hueco Tanks Village, Hueco Tanks State Park 
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, during an archeological 
excavation. The excavation was done under the direction of George 
Kegley, archeologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The human 
remains were inventoried as Burials 1 to 4. No known individuals were 
identified. The nine associated funerary objects are one bone awl, 
three bags of debitage, three bags of ceramic shreds, one piece of 
adobe-like material and one rock.
    Based on the burial context and their association with House 2 at 
Hueco Tanks Village, archeological evidence indicates that they are 
Native American and were probably interred during the Do[ntilde]a Ana 
phase, between A.D. 1000 and 1300.
    In August 1979, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site, 
El Paso County, TX. The human remains were found partially exposed by 
park visitors. Later that same month, the remains were removed by 
George Kegley, archeologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The 
human remains were inventoried as ``Burial 5.'' No known individual was 
identified. The 21 associated funerary objects are 7 pottery sherds, 1 
obsidian projectile point, 9 chipped stone debitage and 4 rocks.
    The ceramics recovered from the sediment around the burial indicate 
to archeologists that this grave dates to the Formative period (A.D. 
200 to 1450), even though it includes a Late Archaic dart point.
    In May 1982, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from the wall of a deep arroyo, Hueco Tanks State Park and 
Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by a park visitor. The human remains 
were inventoried as ``Burial 6.'' No known individual was identified. 
The two associated funerary objects are one projectile point and one 
lot of sherds.
    The point was found in the rib area of the individual and the El 
Paso Brownware sherds were recovered from sediment above the grave, 
therefore, archeologists date the grave to the Archaic period (6000 
B.C. to A.D. 200) or the Formative period (A.D. 200 to 1450) (Ralph 
1997:105, 107).
    In July 1982, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the wall of a deep arroyo, Hueco Tanks 
State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by Ron Ralph. The 
human remains were inventoried as ``Burial 7.'' No known individual was 
identified. The 10 associated funerary objects are 7

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chipped stone flakes, 2 sherds and 1 lead shotgun pellet.
    Artifacts in the sediment around the burial indicate that this 
grave dates to the Formative period, between A.D. 200 and 1450. The 
shotgun pellet was probably introduced into sediments around the burial 
accidentally in recent times, but is considered to be a funerary object 
based on tribal consultation.
    In November 1991, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from a narrow ledge in Hueco Tanks State Park 
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by rock climbers. No known 
individual was identified. The human remains were inventoried as 
``Burial 8.'' The 54 associated funerary objects are 9 shell disk beads 
and 1 pot, which contains 44 shell beads.
    The type of vessel is known as a culinary shoe pot, and American 
Southwest archeologists generally date these vessels between A.D. 1250 
and 1700. Similar cooking pots continue to be used today by native 
groups in Central and South America (Dixon 1963:594-596, 606).
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from locality CA7, in Hueco Tanks State Park 
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by a park visitor. The human 
remains were inventoried as ``Burial 9.'' No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from locality ES3, in Hueco Tanks State Park 
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by park staff. The human remains 
were inventoried as ``Burial 10.'' No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from House 3, Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco 
Tanks State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human 
remains were inventoried as ``Burial 11.'' The burial dates to the 
Do[ntilde]a Ana phase (A.D. 1000 to 1300). No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from House 4, Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco 
Tanks State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human 
remains were inventoried as ``Burial 12.'' The burial dates to the 
Do[ntilde]a Ana phase (A.D. 1000 to 1300). No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco Tanks State Park 
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human remains were 
inventoried as ``Burial 13.'' No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco Tanks 
State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human remains 
were inventoried as ``Burial 14.'' Burial 14 has no specific 
provenience, but it was likely removed from the Hueco Tanks Village 
site since it was found in the site collection. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site, 
El Paso County, TX. The human remains were inventoried as ``Burial 
15.'' Burial 15 has no specific provenience, but was found in the site 
collection. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects described above 
are culturally affiliated with the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa 
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta 
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas. The determination of the cultural affiliation 
of the human remains and associated funerary objects described above 
was based upon oral tradition, archeological context, osteological 
evidence, and artifacts. In addition, primary information sources, such 
as accession and catalog records and consultation with Indian tribal 
officials and traditional religious leaders, support this finding of 
cultural affiliation.
    Officials of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of 15 individuals of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Department also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), 
the 96 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 
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 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 Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; 
Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta 
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Aina Dodge, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 
4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, telephone (512) 389-4876, 
before September 23, 2010. Repatriation of the human remains and/or 
associated funerary objects to the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa 
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta 
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas, may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for 
notifying the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of 
Texas, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 18, 2010.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20941 Filed 8-23-10; 8:45 am]
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