Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Tempe, AZ

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Arizona State University, Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (ASU CASR) acting in place of the Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change (ASU SHESC) 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 91 Issue 167 (Monday, August 31, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55909-55910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17695]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7447; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043571; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State University, School 
of Human Evolution and Social Change, Tempe, 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 Arizona State University, Center for 
Archaeology and Society Repository (ASU CASR) acting in place of the 
Arizona State University, School of Human Evolution and Social Change 
(ASU SHESC) 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 September 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Allisen Dahlstedt, 
Head of Repatriation, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, 
Arizona State University, P.O. Box 872402, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#450429292c36202b6b01242d293631202131052436306b202130"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e6a78a8a8f958388c8a2878e8a9592838292a6879593c8838293">[email&#160;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 
ASU CASR, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its 
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, four individuals have been 
identified. The 176 lots of associated funerary objects are four lots 
of faunal bone, one lot of botanicals, 48 lots of ceramics, 32 lots of 
chipped stone, one lot of daub, 17 lots of ground stone, 10 lots of raw 
stone, 42 lots of samples, and 21 lots of shell. The human remains were 
removed from the Science Library site in Maricopa County, AZ, during 
the

[[Page 55910]]

construction of the ASU Nobel Science Library building in 1980 and 
1981, by a graduate student lead team of students from the Department 
of Anthropology at ASU. Archaeological evidence suggests that the 
remains were from the prehistoric component of the site which was 
occupied during the Hohokam Classic Period (approximately A.D. 1100 to 
1450).
    There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be 
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Ak-Chin 
Indian Community; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the 
Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona. The 
Ak-Chin Indian Community; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community 
of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and the Tohono O'odham Nation 
of Arizona comprise one cultural group known as the O'Odham. Cultural 
continuity between the prehistoric Hohokam archeological culture and 
present-day O'Odham peoples is supported by continuities in settlement 
patterns, architectural technologies, basketry, textiles, ceramic 
technology, and ritual practices. Oral traditions that are documented 
for the Ak-Chin Indian Community; Gila River Indian Community of the 
Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and the Tohono 
O'odham Nation of Arizona support their cultural affiliation with 
Hohokam archeological sites in central and southern Arizona.
    ASU CASR is unaware of any treatment of the ancestral remains and 
associated funerary objects listed above with pesticides or other known 
hazardous substances.
    If additional human remains and associated funerary objects are 
located from the collections discussed above, they will be returned to 
the Tribe as part of this repatriation.

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 ASU, SHESC, CASR, Tempe, AZ, has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of, at least, four individuals of Native American 
ancestry.
    <bullet> The 176 lots of 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 connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Ak-Chin 
Indian Community; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa 
Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona; 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 
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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with 
cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 
30, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the ASU 
CASR 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 ASU CASR is responsible for sending a copy of 
this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.

(Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.)

    Dated: August 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17695 Filed 8-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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