Notice of Inventory Completion: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO, 42770-42771 [2010-17874]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42770-42771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17874]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Denver Museum of Nature & 
Science, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    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 in the control of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 
Denver, CO. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Grand County, UT; possibly eastern Utah or western 
Colorado; Montezuma County, CO; and the American ``Southwest.''
    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.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects from the Rocky Mountains West was made by Denver Museum of 
Nature & Science professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak 
Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, 
California & Nevada; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; 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; Mescalero Apache Tribe of 
the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico & Utah; Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico; 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 Santo Domingo, 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 Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Southern 
Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Tohono 
O'odham Nation of Arizona; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray 
Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, 
Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort 
Apache Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of the Yavapai 
Reservation, Arizona; Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of Texas; Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, and the Southern Paiute Consortium, a 
non-federally recognized Indian group.
    In the 1940s, human remains representing a minimum of four 
individuals were likely removed during excavations in eastern Utah or 
western Colorado by H. Marie Wormington, archeologist. In 1993, 
Wormington donated these remains to the museum (DMNS catalogue (and CUI 
numbers) A1985.1 (CUI 24), A1985.2 (CUI 25), A1985.3 (CUI 26), and 
A1985.4 (CUI 27)). Remains include one adult female found with unshaped 
rocks (not collected), one child of indeterminate sex, and two adults 
of indeterminate sex. Most of these individuals are represented by 
fragmentary remains. Newspaper wrappings around the remains are dated 
to March 12, 1949. Wormington's field expeditions during this time 
focused on the area between Utah and Colorado. No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1938, human remains representing a minimum of five individuals 
were excavated at the Turner-Look Site near Cisco, Grand County, UT, by 
Wormington. The human remains were removed during legal excavation on 
private land. The human remains were accessioned into the museum 
collection (A533.4A (CUI 28), A533.5C (CUI 29), A533.5B (CUI 30), 
A533.5C (CUI 31), and A533.6A (CUI 32)). Remains include one child, 
which was reportedly found with seven associated funerary objects, but 
only three were collected and in the museum's possession. The 
additional human remains are composed of one infant and three adult 
males (one with associated pottery sherds). When excavated these 
remains were defined within the then incipient culture type ``Fremont'' 
although this designation as it was then understood is ambiguous in 
today's archeological lexicon. No known individuals were identified. 
The four associated funerary objects are one small circular slate 
plaque (A533.4B), one stone metate (A533.7A), one lot of shell 
fragments (A533.36), and one lot of pottery sherds (A533.6B).
    In 1968, Francis V. Crane and Mary W.A. Crane donated a hair bundle 
representing one individual to the museum (AC.7653; CUI 33). Documents 
indicate the hair was taken from the middle of Montezuma County, CO, in 
Mitchell Canyon, by Ezra Hambelton. In 1964, the Cranes purchased the 
hair bundle from the Fred Harvey Company. This bundle of hair is 
wrapped with a fiber around the middle. The hair is cut straight and is 
black-brown in color. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    In 1981, the cranium of an adult male was accessioned. The 
accession records indicate the individual is a ``Pueblo Indian, 
Southwest'' (A1150.1; CUI 34). In 1983, two individuals, represented by 
the right arm bone of an adult of indeterminate sex (AC.2874; CUI 35) 
and two leg bones of an adult of indeterminate sex (AC.4896A-B; CUI 
36), were accessioned. These individuals were originally acquired by 
the Cranes from Gans, Inc. Southwest Arts and Crafts sometime between 
1954 and 1959. Documents indicate these individuals are from the 
``Southwest.'' In 1986, two individuals were accessioned (A1988.1; CUI 
38 and A1989.1; CUI 39).

[[Page 42771]]

Both were collected at an unknown location at an unknown time, but 
accession records indicate ``Pueblo'' or ``Southwest.'' In 1949, a 
cranium and mandible removed from an unknown location were donated to 
the museum by Pierpoint Fuller, Jr. (A159.2; CUI 43). Records suggest a 
possible ``Pueblo'' Indian from the ``Southwest.'' No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present. These six 
individuals in the museum's collections are only identified as 
geographically related to the American ``Southwest.''
    Insufficient geographical, kinship, biological, archeological, 
linguistic, folkore, oral tradition, historical evidence, other 
information or expert opinion exists to reasonably establish cultural 
affiliation of the above individuals with any present-day Indian tribe, 
although non-destructive physical anthropological evidence, contextual 
information, documentary evidence, and collector and institutional 
histories support Native American identity.
    Officials of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of 16 individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the four objects 
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. Lastly, officials of the Denver Museum of 
Nature & Science have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a 
relationship of shared group identity cannot be reasonably traced 
between the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects and any present-day Indian tribe.
    The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review 
Committee (Review Committee) is responsible for recommending specific 
actions for the disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains. 
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has determined that the human 
remains are ``culturally unidentifiable'' under NAGPRA. In 2009, during 
a major inter-tribal consultation meeting and through additional 
consultation with individual tribes, an intertribal agreement was 
established, for disposition of the remains and funerary objects to the 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New 
Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico. In the 
agreement, the Hopi Tribe of Arizona was designated as the lead in 
reburying 11 individuals. In addition, the Hopi Tribe of Arizona will 
rebury five of the individuals (CUIs 28-32) with the assistance of the 
Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New 
Mexico & Utah. This agreement was presented to the Review Committee on 
October 30, 2009. Pursuant to this agreement, the Denver Museum of 
Nature & Science requested that the Review Committee recommend the 
disposition of the culturally unidentifiable Native American human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona. 
The Review Committee considered the request and recommended the 
disposition. The Secretary of the Interior agreed with the Review 
Committee's recommendation. A March 4, 2010, letter from the Designated 
Federal Officer, writing on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, 
transmitted the authorization for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science 
to effect disposition of the physical remains of the culturally 
unidentifiable individuals and the associated funerary objects to the 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New 
Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, 
contingent upon the publication of a Notice of Inventory Completion in 
the Federal Register. This notice fulfills that requirement. In the 
same letter, the Secretary recommended the transfer of the associated 
funerary objects to the Indian tribe listed above to the extent allowed 
by Federal, state, or local law.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh, Denver Museum of 
Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205, telephone 
(303) 370-6378, before August 23, 2010. Disposition of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects to the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New 
Mexico; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is responsible for notifying 
the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, California & 
Nevada; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; 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; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero 
Reservation, New Mexico; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah; 
Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico; 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 Santo Domingo, 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 Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming; Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho; 
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; Southern 
Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Tohono 
O'odham Nation of Arizona; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray 
Reservation, Utah; Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, 
Colorado, New Mexico & Utah; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort 
Apache Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of the Yavapai 
Reservation, Arizona; Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of Texas; Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico; and the Southern Paiute Consortium, a 
non-federally recognized Indian group, that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: July 13, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-17874 Filed 7-21-10; 8:45 am]
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