[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14497-14498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06834]



[[Page 14497]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0025170; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: La Plata County 
Historical Society, Durango, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The La Plata County Historical Society, in consultation with 
the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items 
should submit a written request to the La Plata County Historical 
Society. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control 
of the cultural items 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 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the La Plata County Historical 
Society at the address in this notice by May 4, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Kathy McKenzie, Board President, La Plata County Historical 
Society, 3065 W 2nd Avenue, Durango, CO 81301, telephone (970) 259-
2402, 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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the La Plata County Historical Society, Durango, 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

    Between 1951 and 1971, 117 unassociated funerary objects were 
removed from 31 archeological sites within Dolores, La Plata, and 
Montezuma Counties in Colorado and San Juan and Rio Arriba Counties in 
New Mexico. They were excavated by George F. Stewart, an amateur 
archeologist and private collector from La Plata County, CO, who 
donated most of his collection to the La Plata County Historical 
Society in 1978. These unassociated funerary objects are all from 
Ancestral Puebloan sites dating from the Basketmaker III (A.D. 500) to 
the Pueblo III (A.D. 1300) periods. These objects include 107 ceramic 
objects (54 bowls, 16 jars, 13 pitchers, 7 seed jars, 6 ladles, 5 
ollas, 4 pipes, and 2 dippers). Additionally, there are 2 stone 
pendants, 1 stone pipe, 1 flake, 1 concretion, 1 sandstone bowl, 1 bone 
awl, 1 bone bead, and 2 unidentifiable objects.
    Between 1934 and 1936, one unassociated funerary object was removed 
from archeological site Ignacio 15:51, in the vicinity of Blue Mesa 
immediately south of the City of Durango, in La Plata County, CO. It 
was excavated by I.E. ``Zeke'' Flora, an avocational archeologist in 
the Durango area who then gave it to Helen Sloan Daniels for display in 
the Durango Public Library until it was donated to the La Plata County 
Historical Society in 1989. The one unassociated funerary object is a 
Rosa Black-on-White bowl and most likely belongs to the Pueblo I period 
in the Durango area (A.D. 700-850).
    At an unknown time but between 1973 and 1985, one unassociated 
funerary object was removed from Morris 41 (LA5631), a large 
archeological site in San Juan County, NM. The previous owner of the 
property, Jon Pomeroy, was known to have bulldozed the site and donated 
a collection of artifacts to the La Plata County Historical Society in 
1985. The one unassociated funerary object is a Mesa Verde Black-on-
White ceramic mug and dates to the Pueblo III time period (A.D. 1050-
1300) in northwestern New Mexico.
    In summary, these 119 unassociated funerary objects were removed 
from archeological sites within southwest Colorado and northwest New 
Mexico. These unassociated funerary objects are all from Ancestral 
Puebloan sites dating from the Basketmaker III (A.D. 500) to the Pueblo 
III (A.D. 1300) periods. Archeological evidence indicates that these 
unassociated funerary objects can be classified as Ancestral Pueblo, 
but that no more specific cultural affiliation can be assigned reliably 
enough to make an affiliation statement to any particular Puebloan 
group. Cultural affiliation studies consulted include those from Mesa 
Verde, Navajo Reservoir, Canyons of the Ancients, and Animas La Plata. 
The preponderance of geographical, kinship, archeological, biological, 
linguistic, oral tradition, folklore, and ethnohistorical and/or 
historic evidence, as well as expert opinion, supports the conclusion 
that Ancestral Puebloan sites are culturally affiliated with modern 
Puebloan Tribes.
    The possibility of shared group identity between the Athapaskan-
speaking tribes of the Southwest (Navajo and Jicarilla Apache) and 
Ancestral Puebloans, as well as the Ute tribes and Ancestral Puebloans 
was also considered, but cultural affiliation was not supported by a 
preponderance of evidence. The Athapaskan-speaking Tribes of the 
Southwest have geographic, folklore, oral tradition, ethnohistorical, 
and/or historical ties to the area. Cross-cultural influences and 
intermarriage with Pueblos also support a relationship of shared group 
identity between Athapaskan and Pueblo groups. However, current 
archeological evidence does not support a common Athapaskan and Pueblo 
origin prior to about A.D. 1500. Thus, from an archeological 
perspective, the evidence does not support cultural affiliation for the 
Athapaskan-speaking Tribes with these Basketmaker and Pueblo period 
unassociated funerary objects. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Southern Ute Reservation, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Ute 
Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation have geographic, 
ethnohistorical, and/or historical ties to the area and linguistic ties 
to the Hopi tribe. Intermarriage with Pueblo peoples is also recognized 
as a potential link between these groups. However, the body of evidence 
does not collectively support a common Ute and Pueblo origin. 
Therefore, a preponderance of evidence does not support cultural 
affiliation for the contemporary Ute tribes with these Basketmaker and 
Pueblo period unassociated funerary objects.

Determinations Made by the La Plata County Historical Society, Durango, 
CO

    Officials of the La Plata County Historical Society have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 119 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

[[Page 14498]]

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 individual.
     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 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 (previously listed as 
the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas); and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico, hereafter referred to as ``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 claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Kathy McKenzie, Board President, La Plata 
County Historical Society, 3065 W. 2nd Avenue, Durango, CO 81301, 
telephone (970) 259-2402, email [email protected], by May 4, 
2018. After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, 
transfer of control of the unassociated funerary objects to The Tribes 
may proceed.
    The La Plata County Historical Society is responsible for notifying 
The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 5, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-06834 Filed 4-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P