[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 164 (Thursday, August 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42677-42679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18204]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0026150; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Brooklyn Museum 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 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 Brooklyn Museum. 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 Brooklyn Museum at the address in this 
notice by September 24, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Nancy Rosoff, Andrew W. Mellon Senior Curator, Arts of the 
Americas, Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238, 
telephone (718) 501-6283, 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 Brooklyn Museum, 
Brooklyn, NY. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Sentinel Ruin, Canyon del Muerto, Apache 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 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 and associated funerary 
objects was made by the Brooklyn Museum professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of Colorado River Indian Tribes of 
the Colorado River Reservation, Arizona and California; Fort McDowell 
Yavapai Nation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo Nation, Arizona, 
New Mexico and Utah; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; San Carlos Apache 
Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of 
Arizona; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Utah; 
White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; 
and Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, hereafter 
referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes.''
    The Southern Paiute Consortium--composed of Kaibab Band of Paiute 
Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Las Vegas Tribe of 
Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada; Moapa Band of 
Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada; and 
Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of 
Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and 
Shivwits Band of Paiutes)--was also consulted at this time, but 
representatives only viewed ethnographic objects and did not view or 
offer comments on the human

[[Page 42678]]

remains and associated funerary objects listed in this Notice.

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Sentinel Ruin, Canyon del Muerto, Apache 
County, AZ. No known individuals were identified. The human remains are 
one mummified body of a child. The one associated funerary object is a 
turkey feather blanket wrapped around the human remains.
    The human remains and associated funerary object were removed by 
Charles L. Day at an unknown date. The Day family owned a trading post 
in Chinle, AZ, where Day worked prior to being appointed custodian of 
Canyon de Chelly in 1903 or 1904. Brooklyn Museum curator Stewart Culin 
purchased the human remains and associated funerary object from Day at 
some point between 1903 and 1911--most likely in 1903--as part of a 
large purchase of ``cliff dweller'' objects and human remains.
    The human remains are not cataloged, so their provenience has been 
established through careful consideration of Brooklyn Museum records, 
and discussions with staff at other institutions and The Consulted 
Tribes. The Brooklyn Museum has determined with near certainty that the 
human remains are those documented in Culin's catalog as number 10934, 
the ``body of a child'' removed from Sentinel Ruin. The Brooklyn Museum 
has had mummies from the Canyon de Chelly region and Peru in its 
collection. These mummies, including the human remains described in 
this Notice, were supposed to have been transferred to the American 
Museum of Natural History in 1956. However, for reasons unknown, it 
appears that the child's mummy never left the Brooklyn Museum.
    Non-intrusive examination and expert opinion have shown with near 
certainty that the human remains were removed from Sentinel Ruin in 
Canyon del Muerto. In 1991, responding to photos of the human remains, 
American Museum of Natural History staff stated that the human remains 
do not resemble Peruvian mummies, and that the cords used to weave the 
shroud are more typical of American Southwestern styles than Peruvian 
ones. In November 1996, a Brooklyn Museum conservator examined the 
human remains and determined that the woven shroud was made from 
vegetable stem or bast fibers, possibly jute or sisal, onto which 
feathers were woven. In 1997, feathers from the shroud were examined by 
Roxie C. Laybourne at the National Museum of Natural History. She 
determined that the feathers came from a turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). 
The range of turkeys does not extend south of Mexico, eliminating any 
possibility that the human remains were removed from a site in Peru. 
Through consideration of the above evidence, the Brooklyn Museum has 
determined that the human remains were removed from Sentinel Ruin in 
Canyon de Chelly.
    The associated funerary object is one turkey feather blanket used 
as a shroud. Turkey feather and rabbit fur blankets are frequently 
found in Ancestral Puebloan graves from Basketmaker II on, particularly 
the graves of children. Although there is some overlap, fur blankets 
generally predate feather blankets. Many human remains removed from 
Canyon del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly were found in association with 
fur or feather blankets, which were used as shrouds. For example, a 
1929 excavation of a Basketmaker II site in Canyon del Muerto, by Earl 
Morris of the American Museum of Natural History disturbed the grave of 
an individual who had been buried in a turkey feather blanket. The 
presence of the feather blanket and documented usage of the Sentinel 
Ruin site indicates that the human remains are Ancestral Puebloan, 
dating between Basketmaker II and Pueblo III (100 B.C.E.-1300 C.E.).
    Sentinel Ruin (site number CDM155, also known as Tseahatso, Screen 
Cave, and Big Cave) is a multi-phase site located in the wall of Canyon 
del Muerto, 23m above the canyon floor and 155m below the canyon rim. 
The site shows use from Basketmaker II through Pueblo III, and in the 
18th and 19th centuries. The Basketmaker II-III Periods are represented 
by numerous slab-lined cists, many of which contained burials. Pole and 
mud structures are thought to date to between Basketmaker III and 
Pueblo I, based upon comparison with similar structures in nearby Mummy 
Cave. Three masonry room blocks with turkey enclosures date to Pueblo 
II-III. A layer of sheep dung represents 18th and 19th century Navajo 
use of the site. All burials containing datable material date from 
Basketmaker II to Pueblo III. During excavations at the site by the 
University of Colorado Museum in 1924, numerous child burials were 
disturbed. Many of these individuals were buried with rabbit fur or 
turkey feather blankets in a manner similar to the human remains 
described in this notice.
    None of The Consulted Tribes viewed the human remains during 
consultations due to religious and personal reasons. Instead, 
photographs of the human remains were provided either during 
consultation or as a follow-up to consultations.
    Colorado River Tribes of the Colorado River Reservation, Arizona 
and California, representatives examined photos of the human remains 
but did not make any statements.
    The Hopi Tribe of Arizona representatives did not make any comments 
regarding the cultural affiliation of the human remains. At their 
request, photographs of the human remains were sent to the Hopi Tribe 
Cultural Preservation Office.
    Navajo Nation representatives did not address the cultural 
affiliation of the human remains during their consultation. At their 
request, photographs of the human remains were sent to Rena Martin at 
the Navajo Nation Preservation Department. In a letter from October 
1997, Martin stated that the human remains ``are culturally affiliated 
with the Navajo people and are the sole responsibility of the Navajo 
Nation.''
    Pueblo of Acoma representatives examined photos of the human 
remains, but were unsure of cultural affiliation. They stated that the 
human remains were probably Ancestral Puebloan, though not from Acoma.
    Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation 
representatives examined photos of the human remains and stated that 
the tribe encourages reburial of human remains at their place of 
origin, regardless of cultural affiliation. They made no other comments 
regarding the cultural affiliation of the human remains.
    Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation representatives examined photos 
of the human remains and stated that they consider the prehistoric 
populations of the Southwest to be ancestral to all Pueblo groups, and 
that the tribe supports reburial of human remains at their place of 
origin.
    Evidence for cultural affiliation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object with the Colorado River Tribes of the 
Colorado River Reservation, Arizona and California includes 
archeological data, expert opinion, and oral tradition. The Colorado 
River Tribes of the Colorado River Reservation, Arizona and California 
are composed of four distinct tribes: The Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and 
Navajo. Sentinel Ruin is located within traditional Hopi territory and 
Hopi oral tradition discusses clan migrations through the Canyon de 
Chelly region.
    Evidence for cultural affiliation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object with the Hopi Tribe of Arizona

[[Page 42679]]

includes archeological data, expert opinion, geographic proximity, and 
oral tradition. The Hopi Tribe of Arizona considers all of Arizona to 
be within traditional Hopi territory or territory through which Hopi 
clans have migrated. During a repatriation visit to the Brooklyn Museum 
in 2007, representatives from the Hopi Tribe of Arizona stated that 
they consider all Canyon de Chelly archeological material in the 
museum's collection to be ancestral to them.
    Evidence for cultural affiliation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object with the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico 
& Utah includes expert opinion and geographic proximity. The Navajo 
Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah claims cultural affiliation with and 
sole responsibility for all human remains from the Canyon de Chelly 
region.
    Evidence for cultural affiliation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object with the Pueblo of Acoma includes expert 
opinion and oral tradition. The Pueblo of Acoma claims cultural 
affiliation with archeological sites within the Four Corners area. 
During their 1997 consultation visit to the Brooklyn Museum, the Pueblo 
of Acoma representatives stated that they consider Puebloan 
archeological material from Canyon del Muerto to be ancestral to them.
    Evidence for cultural affiliation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object with the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, 
New Mexico includes expert opinion, geographic proximity, and oral 
tradition. The Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico considers 
prehistoric populations of the Southwest to be ancestral to all Pueblo 
group. During their 1996 consultation, the tribal representatives 
explained that they do not distinguish between their Ancestral Puebloan 
ancestors and themselves, and referred to both as Zuni.

Determinations Made by the Brooklyn Museum

    Officials of the Brooklyn Museum 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 one object described 
in this notice is 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 Colorado 
River Tribes of the Colorado River Reservation, Arizona and California; 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; 
Pueblo of Acoma; and 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 
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 Nancy Rosoff, Andrew W. Mellon Senior 
Curator, Arts of the Americas, Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, 
Brooklyn, NY 11238, telephone (718) 501-6283, email 
[email protected], by September 24, 2018. 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.
    The Brooklyn Museum is responsible for notifying The Consulted 
Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 30, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-18204 Filed 8-22-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P