[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 8 (Friday, January 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2428-2429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00456]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-11860; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Northwest Museum 
of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, also known as the 
Eastern Washington State Historical Society, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that the cultural items meet 
the definition of unassociated funerary objects and repatriation to the 
Indian tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come 
forward. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact the Northwest 
Museum of Arts & Culture.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the cultural items should contact the 
Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture at the address below by February 11, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: Ms. Valerie Wahl, The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 
Spokane, WA 99201, telephone (509) 363-5307.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items in the 
possession of the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, also the Eastern 
Washington State Historical Society, Spokane, WA, that meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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.

[[Page 2429]]

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    The funerary objects described below were excavated by Donald 
Collier, Alfred E. Hudson, and Arlo Ford during the construction of the 
Grand Coulee Dam and its reservoir (Lake Roosevelt) whose waters would 
soon cover the area. This undertaking was known as ``The Columbian 
Basin Archaeological Survey'' or the ``Collier, Hudson, and Ford 
Project.'' It was a multi-institutional venture of the Eastern 
Washington State Historical Society (now the Northwest Museum of Arts & 
Culture), the University of Washington, and the State College of 
Washington (now Washington State University). It was also a multi-
agency venture of the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Civilian Conservation Corps, and the Works Project Administration 
(including the National Youth Administration).
    In 1940, the Eastern Washington State Historical Society became the 
repository for the collections of the project, as mandated by the 
Bureau of Reclamation. Portions of the land from which the funerary 
objects were removed were non-Federal lands, and other portions were 
Federal lands at the time of removal. Moreover, the Federal lands fell 
under the management authority of several different agencies. 
Consequently, there has been a question of control over the collection. 
After several years of research, the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture 
has been unable to determine additional specifics regarding the control 
of objects from each site. Therefore, absent additional information, 
the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture is assuming responsibility under 
NAGPRA with regard to publishing this notice and repatriating the 
unassociated funerary objects to the culturally affiliated tribe.
    During the period July 1939 to September 1940, funerary objects 
were systematically removed from Site 8 (45-ST-8) by Donald Collier, 
Alfred E. Hudson, and Arlo Ford during the construction of the Grand 
Coulee Dam and its reservoir (Lake Roosevelt). The objects were 
accessioned by the Eastern Washington State Historical Society in 1940 
(EWSHS Accession 1027). The one unassociated funerary object 
is a projectile point.
    During the period July 1939 to September 1940, funerary objects 
were systematically removed from Site 48 (45-ST-48) by Donald Collier, 
Alfred E. Hudson, and Arlo Ford during the construction of the Grand 
Coulee Dam and its reservoir (Lake Roosevelt), The objects were 
accessioned by the Eastern Washington State Historical Society in 1940 
(EWSHS Accession 1027). The three unassociated funerary 
objects are two copper ornaments and a blue glass bead.
    The unassociated funerary objects described above are consistent 
with cultural items typically found in context with Native American 
burials in eastern Washington State. Furthermore, accession numbers, as 
well as field notes and journal entries, indicate that the cultural 
items were found in connection with human remains. Extensive museum 
documentation, the geographic locations of the sites, burial patterns, 
and consultation with the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation 
verify that the cultural items were removed from sites that are within 
the aboriginal territory of the bands of Indians now known as the 
Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation.

Determinations Made by the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture

    Officials of the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the four cultural items 
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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane 
Reservation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Ms. Valerie Wahl, The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 
Spokane, WA 99201, telephone (509) 363-5307, before February 11, 2013. 
Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to the Spokane Tribe 
of the Spokane Reservation may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture is responsible for notifying 
the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: December 5, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-00456 Filed 1-10-13; 8:45 am]
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