Notice2025-05811
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA
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Published
April 4, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of California, Riverside 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 64 (Friday, April 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14857-14860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05811]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039838; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of California,
Riverside, Riverside, CA
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 University of California, Riverside 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.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects in this notice may occur on or after May 5, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Megan Murphy, University of California, Riverside, 900
University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92517-5900, telephone (951) 827-6349,
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dcb1b9bbbdb2f2b1a9aeacb4a59ca9bfaef2b9b8a9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="335e5654525d1d5e4641435b4a734650411d565746">[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
University of California, Riverside, and additional information on the
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation,
can be found in the inventory or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The 11
associated funerary objects are one lot of grinding stones, one lot of
lithic materials, one lot of ceramics, one lot of shell beads and
ornaments, one lot of modified bone, one lot of faunal bone, one lot of
botanical materials, one stone sucking tube, one lot of ochre, one lot
of asphaltum, and one lot of soil samples. In 1984, the University of
California, Riverside Archaeological Research Unit (UCRARU) was
contracted by the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation
District to investigate four proposed flood control projects near
Wildomar in southwest Riverside county. The project, ARU #768,
``Excavations at Wildomar, Riverside County, California'', was led by
Daniel McCarthy and Philip Wilke. A total of 28 units measuring 1 x 1.5
m were excavated by a crew of nine archaeologists at archaeological
site CA-RIV-2769. Archaeologists described the site as a camp site
rather than a village site because some year-round activities were not
represented by material culture. This area is well-known to the Luiseno
tribes as P[aacute]a[int]uku. The assemblage of material culture
excavated during the project represented a span of time from A.D. 1000
to historic times according to archaeologists. Cremated human remains
were also identified during excavation and were returned to the
Pechanga Band of Indians in April of 1985, however, the tribe's request
to have entire collection returned was denied by the UCRARU. The
materials were subsequently housed at the University of California,
Riverside under accession number 32. During consultation with tribal
representatives in 2024, additional human remains previously
misidentified as faunal remains were identified.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The 12
associated funerary objects are two lots of grinding stones, one lot of
lithic objects, two lots of ceramic sherds, two lots of glass objects,
two lots of faunal remains, one bone awl, one steatite pendant
fragment, and one lot of stone with red ochre. In 1971, Archaeological
Research Inc. (ARI) was contracted by Dr. Thomas King, a graduate
student at the University of California, Riverside and a representative
for the Highway Salvage Committee for District 8, to investigate
potential impacts to archaeological site CA-RIV-365 before the
extension of Highway 365. The site was first excavated by B.E. McCowan
in 1955,
[[Page 14858]]
along with surrounding sites include CA-RIV-4, CA-RIV-270, and CA-RIV-
523. During these first excavations, burials, bedrock mortars, and
cultural objects were removed. The site is part of the Luiseno
ancestral village of `[Eacute]xva Tem[eacute]ku. Knowing that the area
presented a strong potential for cultural materials and human remains
to be disturbed, ARI conducted the excavation as requested by Dr. King
in July of 1971. Archaeologists recovered approximately 800 objects as
well as uncatalogued bone fragments, which were subsequently housed at
the University of California, Riverside under accession number 33.
During tribal consultation in 2024, human remains representing at least
one Native American individual were identified. Approximately 189
objects were found to be missing from the collection when checked
against the catalogs including a bone awl, one lot of faunal remains,
one lot of grinding stones, one steatite pendant fragment, one lot of
stone with red ochre, one lot of sherds, and one lot of historic glass.
If any of these objects are located after repatriation occurs, they
will be transferred to the tribe as part of this repatriation.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The 13
associated funerary objects are one lot of projectile points and other
lithic materials, one lot of potsherds, one lot of faunal remains, one
lot of manos and metates, one lot of botanical material, one lot of
charcoal, one lot of shell beads, one lot of steatite beads, one lot of
quartz, one lot of ochre, one lot of geological samples, one lot of
clay objects, and one lot of glass objects. In the spring of 1974, a
field class in archaeology from the University of California, Riverside
conducted an archaeological survey and excavation for an area to be
impacted by a proposed realignment of Jefferson Avenue in Temecula.
Under the supervision of Richard Ambro and Leslie Wildesen, 12 units
measuring 6 x 6 m were excavated at archaeological site CA-RIV-644. A
total of 2,419 objects were removed from the site and were housed at
UCR under accession number 37. ARU Report #120, ``Excavations at
Jefferson Avenue'' by Sarah Schlanger, was published detailing the
project findings. Prior to the UCR 1974 excavation, site records
reported that a burial was recovered by public employees when it washed
out of a nearby creek bank. During tribal consultation in 2024, human
remains were found in the collection which had been previously
misidentified as faunal remains. The site is close to the Pechanga
Reservation and is known to the tribe as M[uacute]utul. During catalog
verification in 2024 with tribal representatives, a significant number
objects were not accounted for. If they are located at a later date
they will be returned to the Tribe as part of this repatriation.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The 11
associated funerary objects are one lot of animal bone, one lot of
modified animal bone, one lot of potsherds, one lot of clay objects,
one lot of glass, one lot of lithics, one lot of metal, one lot of
shell beads, one lot of botanical materials, one lot of charcoal, and
one lot of grinding-stones. In 1976, an archaeological field school was
conducted by the University of California, Riverside on private
property in the vicinity of the Lake Perris Reservoir as part of the
Rock Art Study of Lake Perris Reservoir Area for the California
Department of Parks and Recreation. The Bernasconi Site, CA-RIV-858
(part of CA-RIV-111) is described as a village site with midden and
bedrock grinding features and cupules in site records; it is part of
Luiseno ancestral lands and is known to them as T[aacute]akwi[int]
Puk[iacute]'. No analysis of the collection after excavation was
published and it was housed at UCR under accession number 43. One
possible human incisor was noted in original catalogs, but no tribal
consultation was ever conducted. During tribal consultation in 2024,
other human teeth and bone fragments were identified by tribal
representatives. During catalog verification a number of objects were
not accounted for; if they are located at a later date they will be
returned to the Tribe as part of this repatriation.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The four
associated funerary objects are one lot of shell fragments, one lot of
ceramics, one lot of grinding stones, and one lot of lithic materials.
In May of 1978, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted by a private investment group to
conduct an archaeological assessment of a parcel of land ahead of a
proposed residential development. The project was led by Stephen
Bouscaren of the UCR-ARU. According ARU report #333, ``An
Archaeological Assessment of Tentative Parcel No. 12065, south of
Walker Basin, Riverside County, California'' several bedrock mortars
were found during the investigation and archaeologists described the
site, archaeological site CA-RIV-1316, as a plant processing site.
Items removed during the excavation included shell fragments, ceramics,
grinding stones, lithic materials (flakes, projectile points, scrapers,
etc.). The collection was subsequently housed as UCR as accession
number 55 and no further analysis was conducted to determine if the
remains were human. During tribal consultation in 2024, tribal
representatives confirmed that the bone fragments were human and
identified the objects in the collection as being associated funerary
objects. Burials have been uncovered since this project as reported by
tribal representatives during consultation and reburials have been
undertaken by the Pechanga Band of Indians in this area.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The two
associated funerary objects are one lot of lithics and one lot of
grinding stones. In 1977, the University of California, Riverside
Archaeological Research Unit (UCRARU) was contracted to conduct
archaeological assessment and mitigation for a proposed subdivision
project. The project, assigned ARU #263 and #275, was led by Phillip
Wilke and Eugene Anderson and consisted of a surface survey and
collection and followed by the excavation of three test units at
archaeological site CA-RIV-1241 (the Fiandaca Site). No subsurface
features were uncovered during the excavation of the test units. The
collection was housed at the University of California, Riverside under
accession number 57. Based on these materials, archaeologists estimated
the occupation of the site to be around 5,000-6,000 years ago; this
area is part of the Luiseno Tribes' ancestral homelands and is known to
them as Qax[aacute]alku. During consultation with tribal
representatives in 2024, human remains, previously misidentified as
faunal, were identified in the collection.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The two lots of
associated funerary objects are one lot of lithics and one lot of
botanical materials. In 1979, the University of California, Riverside
Archaeological Research Unit (UCRARU) was contracted to review a parcel
of land about a mile southwest of Norco High School ahead of the
construction of a proposed subdivision project. Archaeological site CA-
RIV-1443 had been located in previous projects and was relocated during
this project. This site is part of ancestral
[[Page 14859]]
Luiseno homelands and is known to them as N[aacute]qwu. The project was
led by Thomas Holcomb and consisted of a surface survey and collection
followed by the excavation of three test units. No subsurface features
were discovered during excavation. Archaeologists recorded the site as
a ``seed-processing/occupation site'' in ARU Report #429, ``An
Archaeological Assessment of the Norco Hills Proposed Subdivision Near
Norco, California'' by Christopher Drover. Bone fragments found during
the excavation were identified as faunal, but during tribal
consultation in 2024 they were determined to be human remains.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The four
associated funerary objects are one lot of lithic materials, one lot of
faunal remains, one lot of bone awls and one lot of grinding stones. In
1978, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological Research
Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted to conduct an archaeological assessment
on 40 acres of land that were being developed into residential
buildings. Archaeological site CA-RIV-1008 was already known to have
been located on the subject property and was described as consisting of
midden, grinding stones, a pictograph, bedrock mortars, and grinding
slicks. The site had been previously described by Robert Bettinger in
1972 as a ``large midden site, probably a temporary camp''. This site
is well-known to the Luiseno tribes as T[oacute]tpa and is part of
their ancestral homelands. During the project archaeologists conducted
a surface collection and excavated three units. The materials removed
from the site were housed at the University of California, Riverside
under accession number 68. Burned bone fragments were collected by
archaeologists during the project but were misidentified as faunal
remains. Old accession records noted the possibility of human remains
in the collection, but there was no apparent follow-up by an
osteologist. The project was described in ARU Report #309,
``Environmental Impact Evaluation: Archaeological Assessment of Parcel
Map 11758, Murrieta, Riverside County, California'' by James Baldwin
and Thomas Holcomb. In 2024, during NAGPRA consultation, one burnt bone
fragment was determined to be human and cultural materials were also
identified as being associated funerary objects. Tribal representatives
stated that CA-RIV-1008 was known to them as a site with burials after
recent development in the area uncovered additional burials.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The 13
associated funerary objects are one lot of faunal remains, one lot of
ceramics, one lot of glass, one lot of lithics, one lot of metal, one
lot of rubber, one lot of wood, one lot of fabric, one lot of floral
materials, one lot of geological materials, one lot of mineralogical
objects, one lot of unmodified shell, and one lot of fire-altered rock.
In 1981, Alber A. Webb Associates was contracted to complete a test
excavation of archaeological site CA-RIV-364, which was part of the
Rancho Pauba-Little Temecula Land Grant. The site was located on the
southern bank of Temecula Creek near the historic Vail Ranch and has
been called ``Old Temecula'' and ``Rancho California Site no. 1''. The
Luiseno Tribes know this village as Tem[eacute]t Kar[iacute]'a and it
is an important part of their ancestral homelands. The project
consisted of the excavation of approximately fifty 1 x 2 m units and
the removal of over 9,000 items. After laboratory analysis, the
collection was transferred to the University of California, Riverside
where it was housed as accession number 78. Archaeologists described
the site as ranging from a late prehistoric to historic living site
with a possible adobe structure. During consultation with tribal
representatives in 2024, human remains were identified in the
collection which had previously been misidentified as faunal remains.
Based on the information available five associated funerary objects
have been identified. The five associated funerary objects are
charcoal. In 1984, Jean Salpas Keller and Daniel McCarthy excavated
archaeological site CA-RIV-1139 by request of Atlantic Richfield
Corporation (ARCO). In total, 30 units measuring an average of 1 x 1 m
were excavated to an average depth of 50 cm. According to Keller's
report, ``Data Recovery at the Cole Canyon Site (CA-RIV-1139) Riverside
County, California'', a representative of the Pechanga Indian
Reservation was contacted about monitoring the project but ``due to a
misunderstanding of the request for participation, no representative
was sent to the project''. It is unclear what the misunderstanding was
and why the project continued without a tribal monitor. Features
reported at the site included bedrock mortars, rock art, and several
hearths. Other items removed from the site were projectile points and
other lithic materials, manos and metates, clay figurines, pipe
fragments, shell beads, glass beads, slate pendant fragments, ocher,
worked steatite, a piece of incised slate, bone awls, a bone ornament
fragment, a bone tube, an elk antler wedge, turtle shell rattles,
unmodified faunal remains, botanical remains, and charcoal. In Unit 20
a human burial was uncovered, work was halted, and the Pechanga Band of
Indians was notified. The individual uncovered was believed to be a
young adult woman, about 18 years old. The burial was reportedly
removed and reinterred in the reservation cemetery. The representative
from the Pechanga Band of Indians stated that after viewing the objects
and site that they felt that is was likely a stopping place for people
going over the mountains to the ocean and back. The collection of
objects removed from the site was given the UCR accession number 81,
but is no longer present in UCR's collections. Original accession
records state that the collection was returned to Jean Salpas Keller.
In 2024, Keller informed the UCR Repatriation Coordinator that after
the excavation and analysis she returned the objects to Pechanga and
they were reportedly reburied on the reservation. However, five
charcoal samples were submitted to the UCR Radiocarbon laboratory for
dating and were assigned lab numbers UCR-2038 through UCR-2042. These
samples were not returned to the tribe and were discovered by the UCR
NAGPRA Program in 2024. They produced dates ranging from A.D. 870 to
A.D. 1800. Tribal representatives determined that they are associated
funerary objects given the nature of the site and the association with
a human burial.
Based on the information available, human remains representing, at
least, one individual have been reasonably identified. The nine
associated funerary objects are two lots of lithic materials, two lots
of faunal remains, one lot of metal objects, one lot of fire-altered
rock, one lot of ground stone, one lot of pottery sherds, and one lot
of quartz crystals. In 1987, archaeological sites CA-RIV-634 and CA-
RIV-340 were excavated by the University of California, Riverside's
Archaeological Research Unit (UCR-ARU) led by Stephen Bouscaren, Daniel
McCarthy, and Phil Wilke as part of ARU project numbers 879 and 881.
UCR has conducted at least four archaeological investigations in the
vicinity of the ``Christensen-Webb Site'' also known as T[aacute]awila
(Ringing Rock), which is part of a larger ancestral Luiseno village
complex. The Ringing Rock sites excavated by UCR are CA-RIV-332,
[[Page 14860]]
CA-RIV-333, CA-RIV-340, and CA-RIV-634, which are all loci of the
larger village site. UCR has published notices of inventory completion
for collections from CA-RIV-332 and CA-RIV-333 which house human
remains, associated funerary objects, and objects of cultural
patrimony. The purpose of the projects was to determine site boundaries
and evaluate eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.
Eight units measuring 1 x 1.5 meters were excavated from CA-RIV-634 and
757 objects were removed from the site including lithic materials,
ground stone, faunal remains, pottery sherds, and quartz crystals,
which were housed at UCR as accession number 110. During consultation
in 2024 human remains were identified after previously being
misidentified by the project archaeologists as faunal. Three test units
measuring 1 x 1.5 meters were excavated from CA-RIV-340 and a total of
468 items were removed including lithic materials, metal objects,
faunal remains, and fire-altered rock and were housed at UCR under
accession number 127. During consultation the objects from CA-RIV-340
were identified by tribal representatives as associated funerary
objects.
Based on the information available eight associated funerary
objects have been identified and are one lot of faunal remains, one lot
of ceramics, one lot of glass, one lot of lithics, one lot of metal
objects, one lot of floral materials, one lot of grinding stones, and
one lot of unmodified shell. In 1986, the University of California,
Riverside Archaeological Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted to
conduct test excavations in the area proposed by the Elsinore Valley
Municipal Water District for the right-of-way of an outflow channel
from Lake Elsinore. Older residents of the area reported to
archaeologists that human remains had been disturbed during past
construction projects and other artifacts were known to have been
removed by pothunters in the 1940s. The Luiseno Tribes know the Lake
Elsinore area as 'It[eacute]ngvu Wum[oacute]wmu and it is part of their
ancestral homelands Archaeologists excavated six test units measuring 1
x 2 meters and eighteen backhoe trenches measuring 6 meters in length.
During the project archaeologists recovered a total of 2,436 items
including an incised stone, a bone awl, lithic materials, grinding
stones, and faunal remains, which were stored at UCR under accession
number 118. During tribal consultation in 2024, tribal representatives
confirmed that the site is a known burial ground for their ancestors.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available
about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in
this notice.
Determinations
The University of California, Riverside has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of 10 individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> The 94 objects described in this notice are reasonably
believed to have been placed intentionally 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 reasonable connection between the human remains
and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the
Pechanga Band of Indians (previously listed as Pechanga Band of Luiseno
Mission Indians of the Pechanga Reservation, California).
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the
authorized representative identified in this notice under 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 May 5, 2025. If
competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of
California, Riverside 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. The University of California, Riverside 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 10.10.
Dated: March 26, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-05811 Filed 4-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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