[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 74 (Thursday, April 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21796-21798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08780]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-15281; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Texas A&M University, College 
Station, TX

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

[[Page 21797]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Texas A&M University has completed an inventory of human 
remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains 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 
should submit a written request to Texas A&M University. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains 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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Texas A&M 
University at the address in this notice by May 19, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Suzanne L. Eckert, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M 
University, College Station, TX 77843-4352, telephone (979) 845-5242.

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 under 
the control of Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. The human 
remains were removed from sites in New Mexico.
    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 Texas A&M 
University (TAMU) professional staff in 1995, and the remains were 
determined to be ancestral to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of 
Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildenfonso, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico. In 2010, representatives of these tribes were 
invited to consult with TAMU for the purpose of determining the place 
and manner of repatriation. The Hopi Tribe of Arizona contacted TAMU 
with an interest in having these remains repatriated. No 
representatives from the other tribes contacted TAMU in response to 
this invitation.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1979, human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals 
were removed from the Old Town site (LA1113) in Luna County, NM, by Dr. 
Harry Shafer of TAMU. The human remains were determined to be two 
individuals of indeterminate age and sex (TAMU NAGPRA 68) and one adult 
of indeterminate sex (TAMU-NAGPRA 75). No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The diagnostic 
artifacts from this site indicate that these human remains were 
probably of the Mimbres culture.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown location in New Mexico by a 
private individual and donated to Dr. Harry Shafer of TAMU. Dr. 
Shafer's work in New Mexico focused mostly in Grant County and 
concerned the Mimbres culture. He has stated that private individuals 
donated skeletal remains to him over the years associated with this 
work. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that these human remains 
are from the Mogollon culture and probably removed from Grant County, 
NM. Analysis by physical anthropologists indicates that the human 
remains are of Native American origin and were determined to be one 
adult of indeterminate sex (TAMU NAGPRA 67). No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1989, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Oliver site in Grant County, NM, by Dr. Harry 
Shafer of TAMU as part of a salvage excavation. Curation notes 
associated with these human remains indicate that they date to the Late 
Pithouse Period or San Francisco Phase, but no explanation is provided. 
The human remains were determined to be one adult male (TAMU NAGPRA 
69). No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Based on geographic location of all the sites in this notice and 
oral traditions concerning migration histories, TAMU staff found it 
reasonable to trace a relationship of shared group identity between the 
human remains in this notice and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of 
Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildenfonso, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico

Determinations Made by Texas A&M University

    Officials of Texas A&M University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of five 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 Native 
American human remains and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildenfonso, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico.

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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Dr. 
Suzanne L. Eckert, Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, 
College Station, TX 77843-4352, telephone (979) 845-5242, by May 19, 
2014. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; 
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Ildenfonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe 
of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, may proceed.
    Texas A&M University is responsible for notifying the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
San Ildenfonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; and the Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, that this notice has been 
published.


[[Page 21798]]


    Dated: March 13, 2014.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-08780 Filed 4-16-14; 8:45 am]
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