[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13748-13750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05061]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0033499; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Museum of Us 
(formerly the Museum of Man) San Diego, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Museum of Us (formerly the Museum of Man), 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 and a sacred object. 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 Museum of Us. 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 Museum of Us at the address 
in this notice by April 11, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kara Vetter, Director of Cultural 
Resources, Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 
92101, telephone (619) 239-2001 Ext. 44, 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 Museum of Us, San Diego, CA, that meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects and a sacred object 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

    On January 31, 1974, three cultural items were removed from site W-
493 in Santa Ysabel, San Diego County, CA. Collectors David Reynolds 
and Paul Brown removed the items from an archeological site on their 
private property and donated them to the Museum of Us (formerly the 
Museum of Man). (An interview with Paul Brown indicates that the site 
``yielded more than a couple of crematory urns,'' which are not under 
the control of the Museum of Us.) The three unassociated funerary 
objects are one biface, one projectile point, and one piece of historic 
glass.
    On March 6, 1969, 24 cultural items were removed from site W-556 
(aka CA-SDI-17377) in La Jolla, San Diego County, CA. Collector Frank 
Leinhaupel brought the items to the Museum of Us. W-556 lies near W-1 
Spindrift, a

[[Page 13749]]

previously documented site known to contain human remains. Consultation 
with the Kumeyaay Nation regarding the totality of the circumstances 
concerning the acquisition of the items supports a determination that 
these items are unassociated funerary objects. The 24 unassociated 
funerary objects are 11 groundstone mortars and 13 sinkers.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 146 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from site C-44 and C-44A in Calexico, 
Imperial County, CA. Rogers, a geologist, excavated throughout San 
Diego and Imperial Counties in the late 1920's and early 1950's on 
behalf of the Museum of Us (formerly the Museum of Man). The site file 
documents ``two washed out cremations,'' neither of which was collected 
by Rogers. The 146 unassociated objects are one modified faunal bone, 
two unmodified faunal bones, five decorated ceramic body sherds, 21 
decorated ceramic rim sherds, 24 undecorated ceramic body sherds, 88 
undecorated ceramic rim sherds, one core tool, one projectile point, 
one scraper, one chopper, and one battered stone.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 164 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from site C-72 (aka IMP-155), near Kane 
Springs in Imperial County, CA. The site file documents ``six washed 
out cremations,'' none of which was collected by Rogers. The 164 
unassociated objects are one unmodified faunal bone, 21 decorated 
ceramic body sherds, 15 decorated ceramic rim sherds, 48 undecorated 
ceramic body sherds, 39 undecorated ceramic rim sherds, one biface, two 
choppers, one core tool, 11 projectile points, six scrapers, one 
utilized flake, three manos, seven modified shells, six unmodified 
shells, and two battered stones.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 125 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from site C-92 (aka IMP-151), near Kane 
Springs in Imperial County, CA. The site file documents five cremations 
(``cremation 1 and 2'' and ``three washed out'' cremations). Following 
an exhaustive search, the Museum of Us has determined that none of the 
cremated individuals has ever been held by the Museum, and that their 
whereabouts are unknown. The 124 unassociated funerary objects are two 
decorated ceramic body sherds, 29 decorated ceramic rim sherds, 18 
undecorated ceramic body sherds, 37 undecorated rim sherds, two 
bifaces, three choppers, one core tool, 17 projectile points, five 
scrapers, four manos, three unmodified shell, and three battered 
stones. The one sacred object is a steatite pipe tang.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950, 243 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from C-105, C-106, and C-106A, a cluster 
of archeological sites in Imperial County, CA. The site documents 
``four washed out cremations,'' none of which was collected by Rogers. 
The 243 unassociated funerary objects are seven unmodified faunal 
bones, 12 decorated ceramic body sherds, 63 decorated ceramic rim 
sherds, 47 undecorated ceramic body sherds, 63 undecorated ceramic rim 
sherds, four bifaces, three choppers, two cores, one stone drill, one 
projectile point, seven scrapers, eight unworked flakes, 10 utilized 
flakes, five manos, two metates, three game stones, three modified 
shells, and two unmodified shells.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 195 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from site C-110 in Imperial County, CA. C-
110 is situated in close proximity to multiple archeological sites 
associated with human remains, and the site file documents its cultural 
significance to the Kumeyaay Nation. Consultation with the Kumeyaay 
Nation regarding the totality of the circumstances concerning the 
acquisition of the items supports a determination that these items are 
unassociated funerary objects. The 195 unassociated funerary objects 
are one ceramic vessel, 24 decorated ceramic body sherds, 41 decorated 
ceramic rim sherds, 26 undecorated ceramic body sherds, 82 undecorated 
ceramic rim sherds, three biface, one core tool, seven scrapers, two 
utilized flakes, three manos, two pestles, one ecofact, one modified 
shell, and one battered stone.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 208 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from C-111, C-111A, C-118, C-118A and C-
118B, a cluster of archeological sites in Imperial County, CA. The site 
file documents ``one washed out cremation,'' which was not collected by 
Rogers. The 208 associated funerary objects are 20 decorated ceramic 
body sherds, 25 decorated ceramic rim sherds, 44 undecorated ceramic 
body sherds, 53 undecorated ceramic rim sherds, three bifaces, five 
core tools, seven projectile points, 12 choppers, seven scrapers, one 
core tool, two unworked flakes, 11 utilized flakes, seven manos, one 
pestle, six ecofacts, two unmodified shells, and two battered stones.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 252 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from sites C-113, C-113A and C-114, a 
cluster of archeological sites in Imperial County, CA. The site file 
documents ``one washed out cremation,'' which was not collected by 
Rogers. The 252 associated funerary objects are 12 decorated ceramic 
body sherds, 41 decorated ceramic rim shreds, 41 undecorated ceramic 
body sherds, 128 undecorated ceramic rim sherds, three bifaces, four 
choppers, three scrapers, one core tool, two projectile points, one 
utilized flake, one unworked flake, four manos, two metates, five 
modified shells, and four unmodified shells.
    Sometime between the 1920s and the 1950s, 216 cultural items were 
removed by Malcolm J. Rogers from site C-147 in Imperial County, CA. 
The site file documents ``a few un-gathered cremations . . . found by 
relic hunters,'' none of which was collected by Rogers. The 216 
associated funerary items are 34 decorated ceramic body sherds, 123 
undecorated ceramic body sherds, 40 undecorated ceramic rim sherds, two 
choppers, two cores, two projectile points, seven scrapers, three 
historic glass, one ecofact, one modified shell, and one battered 
stone.

Determinations Made by the Museum of Us

    Officials of the Museum of Us have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), 1,575 of the 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 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(3)(C), one of the cultural 
items described above is a specific ceremonial object needed by 
traditional Native American religious leaders for the practice of 
traditional Native American religions by their present-day adherents.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between all 1,576 
cultural items described above and the Campo Band of Diegueno Mission 
Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, California; Capitan Grande 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California (Barona Group of Capitan 
Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation, California; 
Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of 
the Viejas Reservation, California); Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay 
Indians, California; Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, California 
[previously listed as Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of 
the Santa Ysabel

[[Page 13750]]

Reservation]; Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and 
Cosmit Reservation, California; Jamul Indian Village of California; La 
Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian 
Reservation, California; Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of 
the Manzanita Reservation, California; Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno 
Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation, California; San Pasqual 
Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California; and the Sycuan Band of 
the Kumeyaay Nation (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 Kara Vetter, Director of Cultural Resources, 
Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101, 
telephone (619) 239-2001 Ext. 44, email [email protected], by 
April 11, 2022. After that date, if no additional claimants have come 
forward, transfer of control of the unassociated funerary objects and 
sacred object to The Tribes may proceed.
    The Museum of Us is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: March 2, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-05061 Filed 3-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P