Notice2025-05812
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA
Primary source
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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 intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the 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 14852-14855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05812]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039840; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition
of objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation
with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items 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#7b161e1c1a1555160e090b13023b0e1809551e1f0e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cba6aeacaaa5e5a6beb9bba3b28bbea8b9e5aeafbe">[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 summary or related records. The National Park
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 60 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The 60 of objects of cultural patrimony are four lots of ceramics, 13
lots of grinding stones, 14 lots of lithics, one lot of ochre, two lots
of pendants, four lots of metal objects, five lots of glass, seven lots
of animal bone, two lots of discoidal stones, one lot of quartz
crystals, one lot of stone bowls, two lots of botanical materials, two
lots of unmodified shell, one lot of geological materials, and one lot
of pipes.
In 1964 an archaeological field school for the University of
California Department of Anthropology was led by Makoto Kowta. The
class excavated archaeological site CA-RIV-265 (also known as the Ford
Site), which is located between the Bernasconi Hills and Mount Russel
in Riverside County. The project began on October 3rd with a surface
survey and was followed by the excavation of three pits measuring 6 x 6
feet. The features uncovered were bedrock mortars and a midden deposit.
This area is known to the Luiseno tribes as P[aacute]avo' and is
identified as part of their ancestral lands. Through catalog
verification it was determined that objects were missing from the
collection; should these objects be located in the future they will be
considered as part of this repatriation and will be transferred to the
Tribe. During tribal consultation, the Pechanga Band of Indians
identified objects of cultural patrimony including ceramics, manos,
lithics (points, flakes, scrapers), ochre, a slate pendant fragment,
and historic bullet shells.
In 1975, a volunteer field school from the University of
California, Riverside was led by Garth Portillo for the Department of
Transportation ahead of a project to widen Highway 74 under Highway
Project 08-Riv-15. Archaeological materials were collected from the
surface and 178 units measuring 10 x 10m and 12 units were excavated to
an average depth of 25cm. A total of 369 objects were removed from
archaeological site CA-RIV-659 including lithic materials, ground
stone, faunal remains, metal objects, and ceramics. The collection was
subsequently housed at UCR under accession number 39 and findings were
published in UCR Archaeological Research Unit Report #139, ``Final
Report: Mitigation of Archaeological Site 4-RIV-659, Nichols Road,
Elsinore''. During consultation in 2024, tribal representatives from
the Pechanga Band of Indians identified objects of
[[Page 14853]]
cultural patrimony and noted that the site is located in an area known
to the Luise[ntilde]o as P[aacute]ayaxchi Niv[eacute]'wuna, which is
part of their ancestral lands.
In 1978, the University of California, Riverside's Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted by private property owners to
assess a parcel of land before proposed residential development. The
project was led by Renee Giansanti and consisted of a surface
collection, followed by the excavation of two test units measuring 1 x
1 meter each. In total, 237 items were removed from archaeological site
CA-RIV-1309, including lithic flakes, cores and scrapers, a granite
pestle fragment, and a discoidal mano. These items were housed at UCR
under accession number 61. In the area surrounding the site,
archaeologists recorded 10 bedrock mortars. Archaeologists theorized
the site to represent a satellite camp of the larger village of
`[Eacute]xva Tem[eacute]ku. During consultation with tribal
representatives from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, these items
were identified as objects of cultural patrimony.
In 1978 the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit was contracted by a private property owner to assess 800
acres of land in an area known as Skunk Hollow near Bachelor Mountain
to mitigate adverse impacts from future development. The assessment,
led by Renee Giansanti, consisted of a surface collection followed by
the excavation of four test units measuring 1 x 1m at archaeological
site CA-RIV-2945. A midden feature and a bedrock mortar were identified
during the investigation in addition to 34 items all made of lithic
materials. These objects included flakes, cores, manos, pestles, and a
discoidal stone; they were subsequently housed at the University of
California, Riverside under accession number 62. During consultation
with tribal representatives in 2024, the objects were identified as
objects of cultural patrimony. The area they were removed from is
considered to be part of Luise[ntilde]o ancestral lands and is known to
the Luise[ntilde]o as [int]ak[iacute][int]la. The objects are important
pieces of history and have ongoing cultural significance for the
Pechanga Band of Indians.
In 1979, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit assessed about 13 acres of land by request of a private
residential land developer. The project, led by Thomas Holcomb,
consisted of a surface survey and collection, followed by the
excavation of two 1 x 1m test units at archaeological site CA-RIV-712.
Archaeologists identified one large bedrock metate and collected
approximately 31 lithic objects including flakes, manos, and quartz
crystals. Archaeologists theorized that the site was possibly a seed
processing area used by the people of the nearby village of
`[Eacute]xva Tem[eacute]ku. During consultation with tribal
representatives from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, these items
were identified as objects of cultural patrimony. The area the objects
were removed from is known to the tribe as part of their ancestral
range and materials from this area are considered to be culturally
significant for the tribe's history. The Meadowbrook area is adjacent
to the contemporary Pechanga Band of Indians' reservation property.
In 1977, Butterfield Land and Development Company requested that
the University of California, Riverside Archaeological Research Unit
(UCR-ARU) assess a parcel of land in Rancho California to mitigate
adverse effects to potential cultural remains. An initial evaluation
determined that cultural materials would be collected from the surface
to avoid damage or destruction. The surface survey and collection
resulted in the recovery of 52 stone objects including project points,
hammerstones, manos, metates, and lithic flakes, which were
subsequently housed at UCR under accession number 112. According to the
final project publication, ``Results of Surface Collection at CA-RIV-
1211, Rancho California, Riverside County, California'' by Ken Daly,
one projectile point was identified by archaeologists as dating
occupation to after A.D. 1300. Based on the assemblage of objects
recovered archaeologists concluded that ``perhaps a half-dozen
individuals, possibly a family, occupied this site during the summer
when it was necessary to leave a village to collect foodstuffs.''
During consultation with tribal representatives from the Pechanga Band
of Indians in 2024, these items were identified as objects of cultural
patrimony.
In 1981, Daniel McCarthy and Steve Bouscaren, staff of the
University of California, Riverside Archaeological Research Unit (UCR-
ARU) investigated archaeological site CA-RIV-375 with permission from
the property owner. They noted five areas with bedrock milling
features, 61 bedrock mortars, seven grinding slicks, one rockshelter,
and two pictographs. According to site records, artifacts had been
collected from the surface by previous residents and remained in the
possession of the property owner. During their assessment, they
collected approximately 28 objects including grinding stones, faunal
bone, lithic flakes, and ceramic sherds, which were housed at UCR under
accession number 126. In 2024, during tribal consultation, tribal
representatives from the Pechanga Band of Indians noted that the
objects were important to the tribe's history and identified them as
being objects of cultural patrimony.
In 1989, objects removed from archaeological site CA-RIV-48 were
donated to the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Curation Unit by Mrs. Lyle Whitcomb Smith and her sister-in-law, Mrs.
Audrey Whitcomb. Daniel McCarthy, an archaeologist with UCR, visited
the site and spoke with Mrs. Whitcomb Smith, the wife of the original
recorder of the site and property owner, Mr. CE Smith. The site is
located on the family ranch but has been disturbed by construction
since the original recording in 1951. The site was described by
McCarthy as a ``camp of some sort with numerous metates, manos, and
other ground stone artifacts observed in the late 1940s''. This area is
known to the Luise[ntilde]o as N[aacute]qwu and is part of their
ancestral lands. The University of California, Riverside catalogs list
six objects being donated including two basin metates, two manos, one
stone bowl, and one stone ball. Unfortunately, the objects do not seem
to have been labelled and only five of them have been identified: one
stone bowl, two basin metates, and two manos/pestles. The stone ball
reported in the 1989 donation catalogs is missing from the collection,
but if it is located in the future, it will be considered part of this
repatriation and returned to the Pechanga Band of Indians.
In 1989, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted by the Bear Creek Development
Company to assess an area in Murrieta, California ahead of residential
development. Archaeologists relocated archaeological site CA-RIV-1273
which was first recorded in 1978 by Chace and Associates during work on
the Joaquin Ranch property. The UCR-ARU conducted a surface collection
and then an excavation of four 1 x 1.5m test units to a depth of about
60cm. A total of 112 artifacts were recovered including a mano, a
metate, lithic materials, and faunal remains, which were housed at UCR
under accession number 150. In UCR-ARU report #1021, ``Archaeological
Studies at the Bear Creek Site: Test Excavations at CA-RIV-1273,
Murrieta, Riverside County, California'', archaeologists interpreted
the site as a temporary camp used for hunting and collecting plants.
This area and its surrounding landscape are known to the Luise[ntilde]o
as P[aacute]a[int]uku. Village sites and burials have been
[[Page 14854]]
disturbed in the Joaquin Ranch property during previous archaeological
projects. During tribal consultation in 2024, tribal representatives
from the Pechanga Band of Indians reviewed the collection and
identified the materials as objects of cultural patrimony.
In 1991, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) conducted an archeological assessment on
approximately twenty acres of land located in western Riverside County,
California at the request of Thatcher Engineering & Associates, ahead
of a land development project. The archaeological assessment consisted
of a field survey and test excavations, which uncovered archeological
site CA-RIV-4117. The site consisted of approximately 20 bedrock
grinding sticks, two bedrock basin metates, and four mortars. The test
excavations consisted of intensive surface collection of all observable
artifacts and the excavation of six 1 x 1m square units. The project is
detailed in UCRARU report #1125, ``Cultural Resource Assessment of
Tentative Parcel 26667, Phase I--Survey, Phase II--Test Excavations at
Site CA-RUV-4117 Sage Area of Riverside County'', by Bruce Love, Dicken
Everson, and Adella Schroth. The surface collection of this survey and
excavations were subsequently housed at UCR under accession number 170.
These objects include glass, lithic, metal artifacts, animal bone,
floral material, and unmodified shell, which the Pechanga Band of
Indians have identified as objects of cultural patrimony.
In 1991, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted to perform a cultural resources
assessment of a parcel of private property proposed for development.
The assessment consisted of a pedestrian survey followed by the
excavation of three 1 x 1-m test units at archaeological site CA-RIV-
4499, which was located near several bedrock milling features. The
excavation uncovered one small slate pendant, two faunal bone
fragments, historic glass fragments, and lithic materials.
Archaeologists believed the site to represent a temporary camp or seed-
processing area, but did not find evidence of permanent occupation in
the immediate area. During consultation with tribal representatives
from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, these items were identified
as objects of cultural patrimony.
In 2022 a large grinding stone was found in the University of
California, Riverside's archaeological collections with a note taped to
it reading, ``RIV-419-27, Site records by P. Chace and E Shepard, 1963.
No record of artifact collection in site records''. Site records
describe the site as a ``village on a flat ridge'' and note the
presence of bedrock mortars and pictographs. It is unclear when and why
the stone was added to UCR's archaeological collections, so it was
assigned accession number 403 after its discovery in 2022. During
consultation with tribal representatives from the Pechanga Band of
Indians in 2024, the grinding stone was identified as an object of
cultural patrimony.
In 1984, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted by a private property owner to
evaluate two archaeological sites (CA-RIV-2782, CA-RIV-2783) that could
be damaged by nearby land development. CA-RIV-2782 was described as a
large milling area with several grinding slicks. CA-RIV-2783 contained
several bedrock milling features with manos, mortars, pestles, and a
ceramic sherd noted on the surface. UCR-ARU report #766 describes the
survey of the sites but does not note that any artifacts were removed
from either site. In 2022, however, a single grinding stone was
discovered in UCR's archaeological collections with no accession or
catalog number and just a note reading, ``CA-RIV-2783, No Acc. #, ARU #
???''. After discovery, the stone was assigned the new accession number
404. During consultation with tribal representatives from the Pechanga
Band of Indians in 2024, the grinding stone was identified as an object
of cultural patrimony.
In 2022, a large metate was found in the University of California,
Riverside's archaeological collections with a label reading, ``Possibly
RIV-186-26??? No Acc #, ARU # ???''. No record of the metate could be
found in UCR's original accession records. Site records describe the
site as a camp site with bedrock milling features. Artifacts noted in
original site records include a clay pipe fragment, arrowheads, flakes,
and other forms of lithic objects. The circumstances surrounding UCR's
acquisition of the metate are unknown; it was assigned the new
accession number 405 in 2023 after being discovered in the collections.
This site is located in an area known to the Luise[ntilde]o as
Wax[aacute]ara, which is part of their ancestral lands. During
consultation with tribal representatives from the Pechanga Band of
Indians in 2024, the grinding stone was identified as an object of
cultural patrimony.
In 2022, a box containing shells, lithic objects, geological
materials, historic metals, charcoal, and bone was found in the
University of California, Riverside's archaeological collections with a
label reading ``CA-RIV-1064''. No record of the items could be found in
UCR's original accession records. Site records describe the site as
rock shelter that is reportedly close to a cluster of other sites with
grinding features, rock art, and cupules. The site record was updated
in 1988 by the University of Riverside, Archaeological Research Unit
(UCR-ARU) as part of ARU Project #870, so it is likely that the objects
were collected during that project. The collection was assigned
accession number 417 in 2023. During consultation with tribal
representatives from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, these items
were identified as objects of cultural patrimony.
In 1973, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted to assess potential impacts to
archaeological resources in the vicinity of a proposed recreational
vehicle park approximately three miles south of Lake Mathews in the
Gavilan Hills of western Riverside County. The assessment consisted of
a foot survey of the proposed project area, during which four
archaeological sites were located. The sites, CA-RIV-1251 through 1254,
were all described as ``processing sites'' with evidence of quarrying,
hunting, and seed-processing. UCR-ARU Report #72, ``Gavilan Springs
Ranch Recreational Development, Potential Impact on Archaeological
Resources'', states that no artifact collections were made, however,
four objects from archaeological sites CA-RIV-1251, CA-RIV-1252, and
CA-RIV-1254, were found in UCR's archaeological collections in 2022.
The objects are one partially reconstructed clay pipe and three lithic
cores. The collection was assigned accession number 420 in 2022. During
consultation with tribal representatives from the Pechanga Band of
Indians in 2024, these items were identified as objects of cultural
patrimony.
In 2023, a round mano was found in the University of California,
Riverside's archaeological collections with no associated
documentation. The mano is not mentioned in any of UCR's original
accession logs. The only information about the mano was a faint note
written in pencil directly on the mano's surface reading, ``Gavilan
Hills, collected by Retta Ewes and donated to Geology D''. UCR NAGPRA
Program staff were not able to find further information about Retta or
the mano. It is likely that it was collected by a former student
(Retta) and given to the Geology Department. It's unclear how it ended
up in the archaeological collections, so it was assigned accession
number 422 after
[[Page 14855]]
being rediscovered by program staff. During consultation with tribal
representatives from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, the grinding
stone was identified as an object of cultural patrimony.
In 1979, Christopher Drover recorded archaeological site CA-RIV-
1704, which he described as an ``adobe and decomposed granite block
residence with associated trash dump''. Drover noted historic glass,
ceramics, and a mano in the site record and noted that a ``small
surface collection [was] taken for purposes of establishing occupation
date'' and stored at the University of California, Riverside. The
collection was never assigned an accession number or noted in UCR
accession logs. In 2022, the objects were discovered in the collections
and assigned accession number 447. During consultation with tribal
representatives from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, these items
were identified as objects of cultural patrimony.
In 1978, the University of California, Riverside Archaeological
Research Unit (UCR-ARU) was contracted by a private law firm to assess
several tracts of land for cultural resources. According to UCR-ARU
Report #280, several seed grinding features were noted in the project
area and objects such as a stone-knife, grinding stones, and
hammerstones were observed. There are no records of any collections
being produced during the survey, but several grinding stones and
lithic objects were found in UCR's collections labelled ``CA-RIV-1501''
in 2022. The stones were subsequently assigned accession number 454. It
is likely that UCR-ARU staff collected the stones during the 1978
project, but never assigned them an accession number. During
consultation with tribal representatives from the Pechanga Band of
Indians in 2024, these items were identified as objects of cultural
patrimony.
In 2002, RECON Environmental Inc. was contracted to conduct a pre-
grading survey of 90 acres of land that was to be included in the El
Sobrante Landfill expansion. During the foot survey a new
archaeological site, CA-RIV-6965, was recorded as a small quarry with a
surface scatter of lithic flakes and stone tools. Following the survey,
the archaeologist conducted a subsurface test of six shovel test pits
and two test units. The excavation uncovered lithic debitage and
several hammerstones. The collection was subsequently transferred to
the University of California, Riverside Archaeological Curation Unit
for permanent curation. During consultation with tribal representatives
from the Pechanga Band of Indians in 2024, these items were identified
as objects of cultural patrimony.
Determinations
The University of California, Riverside has determined that:
<bullet> The 60 objects of cultural patrimony described in this
notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance
central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-
group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other
subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural
items 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
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be
submitted by 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 cultural items 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 cultural items 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 and to any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: March 26, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-05812 Filed 4-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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