Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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 Center for Archaeology and Society Repository (acting in place of the Arizona State University School of Human Evolution and Social Change) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or 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 91 Issue 167 (Monday, August 31, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55901-55902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17711]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7443; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043567; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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 Center for Archaeology and Society 
Repository (acting in place of the Arizona State University School of 
Human Evolution and Social Change) intends to repatriate certain 
cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary 
objects, sacred objects, and/or 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 September 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural items 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#ca8ba6a6a3b9afa4e48eaba2a6b9beafaebe8aabb9bfe4afaebf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="155479797c66707b3b51747d796661707161557466603b707160">[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 
Arizona State University (ASU) Center for Archaeology and Society 
Repository (CASR), 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 97 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
    The 44 unassociated funerary objects are five lots of faunal bone, 
15 lots of ceramic objects, two lots of chipped stone objects, seven 
lots of ground stone objects, three lots of raw stone objects, one lot 
of botanicals, two lots of daub/adobe, and nine lots of shell objects.
    The 53 lots of sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony are two 
lots of ceramic objects, seven lots of chipped

[[Page 55902]]

stone objects, 22 lots of ground stone objects, four lots of raw stone 
objects, and 18 lots of shell objects.
    The cultural items were removed from the Las Estufas site in 
Maricopa County, AZ during three separate archaeological undertakings 
involving ASU archaeological personnel and students between 1978 and 
1986, associated with anticipated and inadvertent sub-surface 
disturbance of cultural remains during residential housing construction 
by developer Knoell Homes, Inc. After each field undertaking, the 
collections were curated by what was then the Department of 
Anthropology, now the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, at 
ASU CASR.
    There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be 
reasonably traced between the cultural items 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 cultural items listed 
above with pesticides or other known hazardous substances. An 
unidentified adhesive is present on one reconstructed ceramic 
unassociated funerary object. The type of adhesive and the date of its 
application are unknown.
    If additional sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony or 
unassociated funerary objects are located within the collections 
discussed above, they will be returned to the Tribe as part of this 
repatriation.

Determinations

    The ASU CASR has determined that:
    <bullet> The 44 lots of unassociated funerary objects described in 
this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally 
with or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of 
death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native 
American culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge 
of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. 
The unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a 
preponderance of the evidence as related to human remains, specific 
individuals, or families, or removed from a specific burial site or 
burial area of an individual or individuals with cultural affiliation 
to an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
    <bullet> The 53 lots of sacred objects/objects of cultural 
patrimony described in this notice are, according to the Native 
American traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional 
Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice 
traditional Native American religion, and 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).
    <bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described 
in this notice and the Gila River Indian Community of the Gila Indian 
Reservation, Arizona.

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 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 cultural items 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 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: August 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17711 Filed 8-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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