[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 11584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4533]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Forest Service, Gila National Forest, Silver City, NM, and Field Museum 
of Natural History, Chicago, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila 
National Forest and the Field Museum of Natural History have completed 
an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian tribes, and have determined that there is a cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and present-day Indian tribes. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest. 
Repatriation of the human remains to the Indian tribes stated below may 
occur if no additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest at the 
address below by March 28, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Frank E. Wozniak, NAGPRA Coordinator, Southwestern 
Region, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 333 Broadway 
Blvd. SE., Albuquerque, NM 87102, telephone (505) 842-3238.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 in the 
control of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila 
National Forest, Silver City, NM, and in the possession of the Field 
Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL. The human remains were removed 
from the Gila National Forest, Catron County, NM.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
professional staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Gila National Forest, and the Field Museum of Natural History 
in consultation with representatives of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico (hereinafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1935 and 1955, human remains and associated funerary 
objects were recovered from several sites in the Gila National Forest, 
Catron County, NM, by Dr. Paul Martin of the Field Museum of Natural 
History, Chicago, IL. There have been several Notices of Inventory 
Completion (NICs) published in the Federal Register for human remains 
and associated funerary objects from these sites (63 FR 39293-39294, 
July 22, 1998; 70 FR 44686-44687, August 3, 2005; 70 FR 56483-56484, 
September 27, 2005; 71 FR 38413-38415, July 6, 2006; and 76 FR 43718-
43719, July 21, 2011). Following these publications, the Gila National 
Forest and the Field Museum of Natural History staffs identified three 
additional sites on lands administered by the Gila National Forest. 
These sites are closely related to all of the other sites published in 
previous NICs and contain fragmentary human remains identified as 
Native American.
    Between 1935 and 1955, Paul Martin excavated the Cordova Cave site. 
Human remains representing six individuals were identified from the 
site. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Between 1935 and 1955, Paul Martin excavated the Hinkle Park Cliff 
Dwellings site. Human remains representing one individual were 
identified from the site. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Between 1935 and 1955, Paul Martin excavated the Pine Lawn Valley 
Pueblo site. Human remains representing one individual were identified 
from the site. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on material culture, architecture and site organization, the 
sites have been identified as Upland Mogollon sites. Continuities of 
ethnographic materials, technology and architecture indicate 
affiliation of Upland Mogollon sites with historic and present-day 
Puebloan cultures. Oral traditions presented by representatives of The 
Tribes support cultural affiliation with these Upland Mogollon sites in 
this portion of southwestern New Mexico.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service, Gila National Forest

    Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Gila National Forest have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of eight individuals of Native 
American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the human 
remains and The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Frank E. Wozniak, NAGPRA Coordinator, Southwestern Region, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 333 Broadway Blvd. SE, 
Albuquerque, NM 87102, telephone (505) 842-3238, before March 28, 2012. 
Repatriation of the human remains to The Tribes may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National 
Forest is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: February 22, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-4533 Filed 2-24-12; 8:45 am]
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