Notice2024-00524
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Amistad National Recreation Area, Del Rio, TX
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Published
January 12, 2024
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, Amistad National Recreation Area (AMIS) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any Indian Tribe. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Val Verde County, TX.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 9 (Friday, January 12, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 9 (Friday, January 12, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2247-2248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00524]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037227; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Amistad National Recreation Area, Del Rio, TX
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, Amistad National Recreation Area (AMIS) has
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects
and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the
human remains and associated funerary objects and any Indian Tribe. The
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Val
Verde County, TX.
DATES: Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects
in this notice may occur on or after February 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Christopher Ryan, Superintendent, Amistad National
Recreation Area, 10477 Hwy. 90 West, Del Rio, TX 78840, telephone (830)
775-7491, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b08031902183419120a052b051b18450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84e7ecf6edf7dbf6fde5eac4eaf4f7aae3ebf2">[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, AMIS. Additional information on the determinations in
this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the
inventory or related records held by AMIS.
Description
Most human remains and associated funerary objects in the
collections of Amistad National Recreation Area were removed by the
NPS-sponsored Texas Archeological Salvage Project (TASP) salvage
excavations carried out by the University of Texas at Austin in 1958-
1968, during the planning and construction of the Amistad Reservoir in
Val Verde County, Texas. Later, after Amistad National Recreation Area
was established to manage the federal lands surrounding the completed
reservoir, some additional human remains were removed by NPS personnel.
In 1958, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals
were removed from the Damp Cave site in Val Verde County, TX. The site,
a small rockshelter, was located by the Texas Archaeological Salvage
Project and excavated by the University of Texas. No associated
funerary objects are present.
In 1958, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals
were removed from the Centipede Cave site in Val Verde County, TX. The
site, an intermediate-sized rockshelter, was located by the Texas
Archaeological Salvage Project and excavated by the University of
Texas. No associated funerary objects are present.
In 1959, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from the Devils Mouth site in Val Verde County, TX during
a reservoir survey by the University of Texas. No associated funerary
objects are present.
In 1962, human remains representing, at minimum, 14 individuals
were removed from the Coontail Spin site in Val Verde County, TX. The
site, a large rockshelter, was located in 1958 by the University of
Texas and tested in 1962 by the Texas Archaeological Salvage Project.
The 47 associated funerary objects are four manos, one soil sample, one
metate, two dart points, 29 pieces of matting and fragments, one non-
human vertebra (possibly bear or cow), one other faunal bone, and eight
wooden stakes.
In 1988, human remains representing, at minimum, one more
individual were removed from the Coontail Spin site during salvage
excavations by NPS staff. There were no associated funerary objects.
In 1963, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals
were removed from the Mosquito Cave site in Val Verde County, TX, by
the Texas Archaeological Salvage Project. No associated funerary
objects are present.
In 1963, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from the Eagle Cave site, in Val Verde County, TX. No
associated funerary objects are present.
In 1965, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from site 41VV88 in Val Verde County, TX. The site, a
small rockshelter, was located in 1958 by the University of Texas and
excavated in 1965. The one associated funerary object is one lot of
perishable objects including cordage and possible ``fur cordage'' (robe
fragments?).
In 1965, human remains representing, at minimum, 10 individuals
were removed from the Perpetual Care Shelter site in Val Verde County,
TX. No associated funerary objects are present.
Between 1965 and 1968, human remains representing, at minimum, six
individuals were removed from the Conejo Shelter site in Val Verde
County, TX by the University of Texas. The 241 associated funerary
objects are three metates/grinding slabs; two Sophora segundiflora
fragments; four prickly pear cactus Opuntia sp. fragments; six bags of
unidentified vegetal material; one bundle of tied grass; one fiber
object of miscellaneous leaves, twigs, and fibers with cordage; three
lots of fur objects (rabbit fur robe fragments, or bags of robe
fragments); one fiber tied with cordage; one grass bundle with rabbit
fur robe remnants; one bracelet;
[[Page 2248]]
one basket/basket fragments; one piece of red ochre; one unifacial
tool; one bifacial tool; four pieces of modified bone (including one
antler tine); 19 pieces of bone (one burned bone fragment, one an
antler fragment, and 17 mammal bones); one piece of leather; 116 pieces
of sinew; 51 pieces of cordage (including one coiled); 19 mat
fragments; three sandals; and one chipped stone flake.
Between 1965 and 1968, human remains representing, at minimum, two
individuals were removed from the Arenosa Shelter site in Val Verde
County, TX. No associated funerary objects are present.
In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, five individuals
were removed from the Parida Cave site in Val Verde County, TX. The
site was documented by the University of Texas in 1958 and excavated in
1967. No associated funerary objects are present.
In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals
were removed from the Perry Calk site in Val Verde County, TX. The
site, which consists of an intermediate size rockshelter and an
adjacent horizontal shaft cave, was located in 1958 by the University
of Texas. Excavations were conducted in 1967 by the Texas
Archaeological Salvage Project. The one associated funerary object is a
small rabbit fur robe.
In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, four individuals
were removed from the Rio Grande Canyon site in Val Verde County, TX.
The site was located during a 1958 survey by the University of Texas,
and later excavated by the Texas Archaeological Salvage Project. No
associated funerary objects are present.
In 1967, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals
were removed from the Techo Bajo Shelter site in Val Verde County, TX.
The site is a small rockshelter. The four associated funerary objects
are one awl made from a Canis sp. ulna, and three modified bone
fragments.
In 1977 and 1989, human remains representing, at minimum three
individuals were removed from the Four Turtle Cave site in Val Verde
County, TX. Wave action exposed human remains in 1977, which were then
removed by NPS personnel. A second set of human remains were removed in
1989. Thirty-nine associated funerary objects include pebbles, quartz
crystals, seeds, rabbit bone, snail shell fossil, wood, burned wood,
rabbit fur, and chipped stone.
Around 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from the Keyhole Cave site in Val Verde County, TX.
Fishermen found the human remains eroding out of the cave as a result
of wave action. Sixteen associated funerary objects include stakes,
mussel shell, a burnt wood fragment, burned pecan shell, and faunal
remains (peccary).
In 1979, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals
were removed from site 41VV962 in Val Verde County, TX. The human
remains had been exposed by wave action and were removed by NPS
personnel. No associated funerary objects are present.
In 1983, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from the Sin Piernas Cave site in Val Verde County, TX by
NPS personnel. Wave action exposed the human remains, which appear to
have been interred in a flexed position. The one associated funerary
object is a hammerstone.
In 1988, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual
were removed from the Dust Mask Shelter site in Val Verde County, TX,
by NPS personnel. No associated funerary objects are present.
Aboriginal Land
The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice
were removed from known geographic locations. These locations are the
aboriginal lands of one or more Indian Tribes. The following
information was used to identify the aboriginal land: treaties.
Determinations
Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, AMIS has determined
that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 66 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 350 associated funerary 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. The National Park Service intends to convey the
associated funerary objects to the tribes pursuant to 54 U.S.C.
102503(g) through (i) and 54 U.S.C. 102504.
<bullet> No relationship of shared group identity can be reasonably
traced between the human remains and associated funerary objects and
any Indian Tribe.
<bullet> The human remains and associated funerary objects
described in this notice were removed from the aboriginal land of the
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache
Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Kiowa Indian
Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation,
New Mexico; and the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache
Reservation, Arizona.
Requests for Disposition
Written requests for disposition of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for disposition
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes 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, or who shows that the requestor is an aboriginal land
Indian Tribe.
Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after February
12, 2024. If competing requests for disposition are received, AMIS must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to disposition. Requests
for joint disposition of the human remains and associated funerary
objects are considered a single request and not competing requests.
AMIS is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian
Tribes 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 and Sec.
10.11.
Dated: January 5, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-00524 Filed 1-11-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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