[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 61 (Friday, March 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19308-19309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07353]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12433; PCU00RP14.R50000-PPWOCRADN0]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: University of 
Denver Museum of Anthropology, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, has determined that 
the cultural items meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects 
and repatriation to the Indian tribes 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 University of Denver Museum of Anthropology.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the cultural items should contact the 
University of Denver Museum of Anthropology at the address below by 
April 29, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Anne Amati, University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, 
2000 E. Asbury Avenue, Denver, Colorado, 80208, telephone (303) 871-
2687.

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 University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, Denver, 
CO, 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 Native 
American cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    In 1968, the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology acquired 
the collection of Mr. Fallis F. Rees, an amateur archeologist, who 
researched ancient civilizations. He housed his artifact collection in 
his Ko-Kas-Ki Museum in Pinedale, CO, before transferring it to the 
University of Denver Museum of Anthropology. The following cultural 
items came to the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology as part 
of the Rees Collection.
    At an unknown date, two stone figurine fragments (DU 3915 A-B) were 
removed from unknown sites near Gila Crossing Ruin in Maricopa or Pinal 
County, AZ, by an unknown individual. At an unknown date, one stone 
figurine fragment (DU 3915 C), depicting a female head and partial 
torso, was removed from an unknown site in the Gila River area, AZ, by 
an unknown individual. Fallis Rees obtained this object from Frank 
Midvale, a southwestern archeologist who lived and worked in southern 
and central Arizona. All three figurines (DU 3915 A-C) resemble Santa 
Cruz Phase figurines from the Snaketown site and are made from 
vesicular basalt. The archeological evidence places the Snaketown site 
within the archeologically-defined Hohokam tradition. Museum records 
indicate the figurine fragments were removed from cremation burials.
    At an unknown date, one stone cylinder with flat base (DU 3973) was 
removed from an unknown site near Phoenix Ruins in Maricopa County, AZ, 
by an unknown individual. The cylinder features a shallow depression on 
one end with two rattlesnakes carved head to tail on the rim. Fallis 
Rees obtained this object from Frank Midvale, a southwestern 
archeologist who lived and worked in southern and central Arizona. DU 
3973 is identified as belonging to the Santa Cruz or Sacaton Phase of 
the Hohokam archeological tradition. Museum records indicate the 
cylinder was removed from a cremation burial.
    At an unknown date, two stone palettes (DU 3984 and 3987) were 
removed from unknown sites in Arizona by an unknown individual. DU 3984 
features irregular incised triangles on the rim. DU 3987 is greenish-
grey in color and features an incised groove border, beveled edges and 
a smoothed back. At an unknown date, one stone palette (DU 3986) was 
removed from an unknown site near Phoenix in Maricopa County, AZ, in 
the Salt River Valley, by an unknown individual. DU 3986 is made from 
soapstone and features a shallow incised border on a smoothed surface. 
At an unknown date, one stone palette (DU3989) was removed from an 
unknown site in New River, Maricopa County, AZ, by an unknown 
individual. DU 3989 features a water bird design with double incised 
lines inside the border and notched edges. Areas of loss have been 
reconstructed at some point prior to 1968. Fallis Rees obtained this 
object from Frank Midvale, a southwestern archeologist who lived and 
worked in southern and central Arizona. DU 3984 is identified as 
belonging to the Sacaton Phase of the Hohokam Archeological tradition. 
Museum records identify DU 3986, 3987, and 3989 as part of the Hohokam 
Archeological tradition. Consultation and museum records indicate that 
palettes are known to be associated with burials.
    At an unknown date, one stone fragment (DU 3991), identified as 
part of a fetish, was removed from an unknown site near Gila Butte in 
Pinal County, AZ, by an unknown individual. The fragment features 
painted designs in black and white, partial double perforations, and 
beveled edges. At an unknown date, one stone fragment (DU

[[Page 19309]]

3992) was removed from an unknown site near Cashion in Maricopa County, 
AZ, by an unknown individual. The fragment features one edge with a 
continuous curved arc and the other edge with uneven curves including 
one partial perforation near one end. Both stone fragments (DU 3991 and 
3992) show evidence of being burned and are believed to have been 
removed from cremation burials. Museum records identify the stone 
fragments as part of the Hohokam Archeological tradition.
    The Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community 
of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona, have submitted repatriation 
claims for the cultural items described in this notice, on behalf of 
themselves and the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona and the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona 
(hereinafter referred to as ``The Four Southern Tribes of Arizona''). 
The Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona, has requested the repatriation of DU 3915 A-C, 3984, 3987 and 
3991. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona, has requested the repatriation of DU 3973, 3986, 
3989, and 3992.
    The Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Reservation, 
Arizona, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt 
River Reservation, Arizona, provided archeological, biological, 
geographical, kinship, linguistic, historical and oral tradition 
evidence establishing a close relationship of shared group identity 
that can be traced both historically and prehistorically between the 
Four Southern Tribes of Arizona and the Hohokam tradition. Oral 
tradition evidence also indicates a close relationship of shared group 
identity that can be traced both historically and prehistorically 
between the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico, and the Hohokam tradition.

Determinations Made by the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology

    Officials of the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 10 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.
     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 Ak Chin Indian Community of the 
Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian 
Community of the Gila River Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and the Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Anne Amati, University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, 2000 E 
Asbury Ave, Denver, Colorado, 80208, telephone (303) 871-2687, before 
April 29, 2013. Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to 
the Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Reservation, Arizona, 
and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona, on behalf of the Four Southern Tribes of Arizona 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology is responsible for 
notifying the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa 
Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico that this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 26, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-07353 Filed 3-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P