Notice2023-28176
Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Navajo National Monument, Shonto, AZ
Primary source
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Published
December 22, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Navajo National Monument (NAVA) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Coconino and Navajo Counties, AZ.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 245 (Friday, December 22, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 245 (Friday, December 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88652-88653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28176]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037120; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Navajo National Monument, Shonto, AZ
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Navajo National Monument (NAVA) has completed an
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human
remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated
funerary objects were removed from Coconino and Navajo Counties, AZ.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after January 22, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Lyn Carranza, Superintendent, Navajo National Monument, End
of AZ Hwy 564 North, P.O. Box 7717, Shonto, AZ 86054-7717, telephone
(928) 624-5500 Ext. 244, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#80ecf9eedfe3e1f2f2e1eefae1c0eef0f3aee7eff6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="731f0a1d2c10120101121d0912331d03005d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
superintendent, NAVA. Additional information on the determinations in
this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the
inventory or related records held by NAVA.
Description
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Coconino County, AZ, in 1939, during excavations conducted by
Charlie Steen of the NPS to stabilize Inscription House. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Coconino County, AZ, in 1964, by NPS personnel after being exposed
on the surface of Inscription House by erosion. The three associated
funerary objects are one bowl, one jar, and one ladle.
Human remains representing, at minimum, 43 individuals were removed
from Coconino County, AZ, in 1966, when a midden below Inscription
House was excavated by the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) under the
direction of Dr. George Gumerman. The 473 associated funerary objects
are one projectile point, 15 awls, three worked bones, one flesher, one
biface fragment, 20 flakes, two pendants, one bead, two earrings, 13
stone tile fragments, nine pieces of limonite, one piece of hematite,
one maul, one mano, 68 faunal bones, one abrader, 41 bowls, seven
ladles, 38 jars, two colanders, three bags of plant materials, one
eggshell, one metate, 235 sherds, one worked sherd, one hammerstone,
one concretion, one bag of unfired clay, and one bag of wood.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Coconino County, AZ, in 1977, by the University of Colorado
through a contract with the NPS for salvage excavations on the midden
at Inscription House that was excavated in 1966. The 49 associated
funerary objects are 48 sherds and one soil sample.
Human remains representing, at minimum, 13 individuals were removed
from Navajo County, AZ, in 1934, by the Civil Works Administration
(CWA) through the MNA during stabilization activities at Keet Seel. The
69 associated funerary objects are one axe, one bead, one bowl, 55
faunal bones, seven jars, two kaolin samples, one pendant, and one
sherd.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Navajo County, AZ. In 1935, human remains were donated to the
[[Page 88653]]
MNA and were identified as being from Keet Seel. No associated funerary
objects are present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Navajo County, AZ. In 1964, human remains were turned over to the
NPS and were identified as being from Keet Seel. No associated funerary
objects are present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were
removed from Navajo County, AZ, in 1938, during excavations at Kiva
Cave by Milton Wetherill. The 35 associated funerary objects are one
piece of cotton cloth and 34 sherds.
Human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals were
removed from Navajo County, AZ, in 1963, by Carl Jennings of the
University of Colorado during excavations at Turkey Cave. The human
remains were deposited at the MNA. No associated funerary objects are
present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Navajo County, AZ, in 1985, during stabilization work at Turkey
Cave by Peter McKenna and John Stein of the NPS Chaco Center. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals were
removed from Navajo County, AZ. In 1938 human remains removed from
Betatakin by Milton Wetherill were donated to the MNA. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Navajo County, AZ in 1964 by NPS archeologist Keith Anderson
during an authorized excavation of the midden below Betatakin. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Human remains representing, at minimum, one individual were removed
from Navajo County, AZ, in 1967, during an unauthorized exploration of
Betatakin. No associated funerary objects are present.
Cultural Affiliation
The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice
are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes,
peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity
between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures
and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The
following types of information were used to reasonably trace the
relationship: anthropological information, archeological information,
biological information, folklore, geographical information, historical
information, kinship, linguistics, oral tradition, other relevant
information and expert opinion.
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations, NAVA has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 71 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 629 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.
<bullet> There is a relationship of shared group identity that can
be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary
objects described in this notice and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Navajo
Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni
Reservation, New Mexico.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after January 22, 2024.
If competing requests for repatriation are received, NAVA must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated
funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing
requests. NAVA is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this
notice.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9, 10.10,
and 10.14.
Dated: December 13, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-28176 Filed 12-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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