[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 47 (Monday, March 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13493-13494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04854]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22961; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Northern Arizona, 
Flagstaff, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Museum of Northern Arizona 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 the Museum of 
Northern Arizona. 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

[[Page 13494]]

human remains should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Museum of Northern Arizona at the address 
in this notice by April 12, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Elaine Hughes, Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 North Fort 
Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, telephone (928) 774-5211 x228, 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 under 
the control of the Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff, AZ. The human 
remains were removed from the Van Liere Site, Maricopa 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). 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 the Museum 
of Northern Arizona professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Ak-Chin Indian Community (previously listed as 
the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona); Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian 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 Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico.

History and Description of the Remains

    In January and February of 1978, human remains representing, at 
minimum, four individuals were removed from the Van Liere site 
(NA12552) in Maricopa County, AZ, during archeological investigations 
conducted by the Museum of Northern Arizona. The Van Liere site 
(NA12552) is a Hohokam settlement in central Arizona, located north of 
both the community of Liberty and the confluence of the Salt and Gila 
Rivers. The cremated human remains represent a minimum of four adults 
of indeterminate sex, and are comprised of one cranial fragment from 
Area 4, grid square 16 south, 24 west, level 2; one cranial fragment 
from Trench 436, backdirt 200; two cranial fragments from Trench 447, 
unit 2, plow zone; and fragments of one cranium, two vertebrae, and 
three ribs from Trench 444, backdirt 200. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Archeological evidence indicates that the Van Liere site (NA12552) 
was occupied during the period A.D. 950-1150 by the Hohokam people, for 
whom cremation was a common mortuary practice. Hopi and Zuni oral 
traditions also indicate that segments of the prehistoric Hohokam 
population migrated to areas occupied by the ancestors of the Hopi and 
Zuni, where they were assimilated into the resident populations. 
Archeological, historical, and oral tradition evidence indicate that 
there is a relationship of shared group identity between the Hohokam 
people and present-day Piman and O'odham cultures, which are 
represented by the Ak-Chin Indian Community (previously listed as the 
Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona); Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
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 Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.

Determinations Made by the Museum of Northern Arizona

    Officials of the Museum of Northern Arizona have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of a minimum of 4 
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 Ak-Chin Indian Community (previously 
listed as the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona); Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian 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 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 Elaine 
Hughes, Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 North Fort Valley Road, 
Flagstaff, AZ 86001, telephone (928) 774-5211 x228, email 
[email protected], by April 12, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Ak-Chin Indian Community (previously listed as the 
Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona); Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
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 Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico 
may proceed.
    The Museum of Northern Arizona is responsible for notifying the Ak-
Chin Indian Community (previously listed as the Ak Chin Indian 
Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona); Gila 
River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 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 
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: February 17, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-04854 Filed 3-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P