[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53737-53738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21491]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-16412; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State Museum, University 
of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, has completed 
an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-
day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 
Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian 
organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 Arizona State Museum at the address in this notice 
by October 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: John McClelland, NAGPRA Coordinator, P.O. Box 210026, 
Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, 
telephone (520) 626-2950.

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 Arizona State 
Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. The human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed from Pima County, AZ.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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 Arizona 
State Museum (ASM) professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-
Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1996, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from an unrecorded site, AZ AA:12:--Camino de la Tierra, 
in Tucson, Pima County, AZ. The remains were collected by the Pima 
County Sheriff's Department and assigned a case number. The medical 
examiner determined that the human remains

[[Page 53738]]

were prehistoric and likely Native American. The human remains were 
transferred from the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner to ASM 
but were not assigned an accession number. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from an unrecorded site, AZ AA:12:--Tucson Site 9, located 
on private land in Tucson, Pima County, AZ. The legally authorized 
excavation was conducted by ASM under the direction of James Ayres and 
Walter Birkby. The collection was brought to ASM but no accession 
number was assigned. The remains were assessed as likely Native 
American, based on their condition. No known individuals were 
identified. The one associated funerary object is an animal bone.
    In 1991, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from an unrecorded site, AZ AA:16:--ML91-0611, located on 
private land in Tucson, Pima County, AZ. The human remains were 
collected by the Tucson Police Department and assigned case number 
ML91-0611. Forensic anthropologists at the Human Identification 
Laboratory, University of Arizona determined that the human remains 
were prehistoric and likely Native American. The collection was then 
brought to ASM but was not assigned an accession number. No known 
individuals were identified. The eight associated funeral objects are 
eight stones.
    The absence of diagnostic artifacts and lack of known archeological 
contexts related to these discoveries prevents identification of an 
earlier group.

Determinations Made by the Arizona State Museum

    Officials of ASM have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on the physical 
characteristics of the remains.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 3 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 9 objects described 
in this notice 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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian tribe.
     According to final judgments of the Indian Claims 
Commission or the Court of Federal Claims, the land from which the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed is the aboriginal land of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the 
Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt 
River Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation; Salt 
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 John 
McClelland, NAGPRA Coordinator, P.O. Box 210026, Arizona State Museum, 
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, telephone (520) 626-2950, by 
October 10, 2014. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak 
Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the 
Gila River Indian Reservation; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona may proceed.
    The Arizona State Museum 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 Indian Reservation; Salt 
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 1, 2014.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-21491 Filed 9-9-14; 8:45 am]
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