[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61362-61363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22043]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034592; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, 
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico 
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 Maxwell Museum of 
Anthropology. 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 Maxwell Museum of Anthropology at the 
address in this notice by November 10, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Carla Sinopoli, Maxwell Museum of 
Anthropology, MSC01-1050, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 
87131, telephone (505) 277-0382, 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 Maxwell Museum of 
Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from the Puerco 
River Valley in Bernalillo County, NM.
    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 was made by the Maxwell 
Museum of Anthropology professional staff, in consultation with 
representatives of the Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai 
Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Hualapai Indian Tribe of 
the Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New 
Mexico; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New 
Mexico (previously listed as Pueblo of San Juan); Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Pueblo de 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 Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; Salt 
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; Santo Domingo 
Pueblo (previously listed as Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico, and as Pueblo of 
Santo Domingo); Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute 
Reservation, Colorado; Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (previously listed as Ute 
Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico, & 
Utah); White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, 
Arizona; Ysleta del Sur Pueblo (previously listed

[[Page 61363]]

as Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas); and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted 
Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1976, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals 
were removed from the Puerco River Valley (north of Interstate 40) in 
Bernalillo County, NM, and given to the Maxwell Museum by a surveyor 
for a proposed water line by the Westland Corporation, who owned the 
land at that time. The only burial information provided by the surveyor 
are general directional distinctions. The human remains belong to five 
adults of indeterminate sex. No known individuals were identified. The 
36 associated funerary objects are two pottery sherds, one ground 
stone, one charcoal fragment, two faunal bones, 12 beads, one lithic 
core, one lithic flake, one faunal bone, one lot of faunal bone, one 
ceramic sherd, one lithic biface, three lithic flakes, and nine pottery 
sherds.
    The undecorated grayware ceramic fragments associated with these 
individuals suggest a date range for these human remains between A.D. 
750 and 1600. The combination of the grayware pottery sherds, flaked 
lithics, and beads show that these human remains are Native American. 
Based on geographical information, these human remains and associated 
funerary objects are culturally affiliated with the Pueblo of Isleta, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo 
(previously listed as Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas).

Determinations Made by the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University 
of New Mexico

    Officials of the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New 
Mexico have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of five individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 36 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), 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 Pueblo 
of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; and the Ysleta del 
Sur Pueblo (previously listed as Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of Texas) 
(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 Dr. Carla Sinopoli, Maxwell Museum of 
Anthropology, MSC01-1050, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 
87131, telephone (505) 277-0382, email [email protected], by November 
10, 2022. 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 Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, University of New Mexico is 
responsible for notifying The Consulted Tribes that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: September 27, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-22043 Filed 10-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P