[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21408-21409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08379]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12561;
PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC, and the University of Denver 
Department of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
and the University of Denver Department of Anthropology and Museum of 
Anthropology, have completed an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and have determined 
that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any 
Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, 
Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice 
may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Indian Affairs at the address in this notice by May 10, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Anna Pardo, Museum Program Manager/NAGPRA Coordinator, U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Indian Affairs, 12220 Sunrise Valley Drive, 
Room 6084, Reston, VA 20191, telephone (703) 390-6343, email 
[email protected].

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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the U.S. Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC, and in the 
physical custody of University of Denver Department of Anthropology and 
Museum of Anthropology. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from a site located south from the town of Bluff, 
in San Juan County, UT, and on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of Denver Department of Anthropology and Museum of 
Anthropology professional staff in consultation with representatives of 
Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico 
& Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico (previously listed as the Pueblo of 
San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Southern Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Ute Mountain 
Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; and 
the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico. The following 
tribes were invited to consult and were sent copies of the cultural 
affiliation findings for comment: Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kewa Pueblo, 
New Mexico (previously listed as the Pueblo of Santo Domingo); Pueblo 
of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Ildefonso, New Mexico; Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah; 
Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ysleta 
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.

History and Description of the Remains

    In June 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from a site referenced in documentation as UT 
W:10:2, located south of the town of Bluff, in San Juan County, UT, by 
Mimi Kiser, a University of Denver student, who donated the remains to 
the University's Museum of Anthropology in December 1978. No known 
individuals were identified. The 47 associated funerary objects are one 
non-human tooth; one piece of fabric, woven cotton; one grass seed 
head; three pieces of knotted cordage with what appears to be feathers; 
nine cordage fragments; 24 knotted fibers; four hoops of fiber; one lot 
of knotted fiber; and three unidentified organic items.
    Prior to the beginning of a University of Denver archeology field 
school project at Butler Wash, Ms. Kiser hiked south of Bluff, UT, 
crossing the San Juan River, and came upon a room block, a kiva, and a 
pithouse located on one side of a crevice overlooked by a cliff. The 
architecture is described as being nestled against the indented cliff, 
providing sufficient protection. The burial was found less than one 
foot below the ground surface in sedimentary sand. The burial was found 
in a flexed position. Corn, knots, and twine were buried with the human 
remains, though no ceramics were found. The presence of twine and cord, 
a sandal, and corn along with the absence of ceramics would suggest a 
late Basketmaker or early Pueblo assemblage. There is a well-documented 
cultural affiliation between these groups and the modern-day Pueblo 
tribes. Migration stories and oral histories specify the Four Corners 
area as being

[[Page 21409]]

highly significant to the ancestors of the Pueblos. Review of the field 
records and maps associated with the excavation of the site, and review 
of the land ownership records of the areas south of Bluff, indicate 
that the site is on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
    Based on the preponderance of evidence, including archeology, 
architecture, material culture, oral traditions, and expert opinion, 
officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs have reasonably determined 
that the Native American human remains are ancestral Puebloan. 
Descendants of ancestral Puebloan culture are members of the present-
day tribes of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico 
(previously listed as the Pueblo of Santo Domingo); Ohkay Owingeh, New 
Mexico (previously listed as the Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa 
Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico (hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Washington, DC, and the University of Denver Department 
of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology

    Officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the University of 
Denver Department of Anthropology and Museum of Anthropology have 
determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 47 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.
     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 Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Anna Pardo, Museum Program Manager/NAGPRA 
Coordinator, U.S. Department of the Interior, Indian Affairs, 12220 
Sunrise Valley Drive, Room 6084, Reston, VA 20191, telephone (703) 390-
6343, email [email protected], by May 10, 2013. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to The Tribes may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Bureau of Indian Affairs is responsible for notifying The 
Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 13, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-08379 Filed 4-9-13; 8:45 am]
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