[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 20 (Monday, February 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5855-5857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2117]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Air 
Force, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA and University of California, 
Santa Barbara, Repository of Archaeological and Ethnographic 
Collections, Santa Barbara, CA

AGENCY:  National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:  Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and an associated funerary 
object in the control of the U.S. Department of Defense, Air Force, 
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, and in the physical custody of the 
University of California, Santa Barbara, Repository for Archaeological 
and Ethnographic Collections, Santa Barbara, CA. The human remains and 
associated funerary object were removed from the Vandenberg Air Force 
Base, Santa Barbara County, CA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary object. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made for the 
Vandenberg Air Force Base through a contracting Physical Anthropologist 
with the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa 
Barbara, and in consultation with representatives of the Santa Ynez 
Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
    In the early 1970s, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were collected from the surface of CA-SBA-209, located near 
Point Arguello on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, 
by L. Spanne, as part of Air Force commissioned archeological 
reconnaissance work. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    A single radiocarbon date (7890 BP) from site CA-SBA-209, dates the 
human remains to within the Early Period.
    In the 1970s, human remains representing a minimum of three 
individuals were collected from the surface of CA-SBA-734, located in 
the Casmalia Hills in the northern part of Vandenberg Air Force Base, 
Santa Barbara County, CA, by L. Spanne and crew, during Air Force 
commissioned work. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on the excavated artifacts from the site, but that are not 
associated funerary objects, CA-SBA-734 has been dated to the Middle 
Period (A.D. 700-900).
    In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were excavated from CA-SBA-210, located on the south side of Point 
Arguello on

[[Page 5856]]

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M. Glassow, 
University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract to the Air 
Force. No primary burials were identified in the field; instead the 
human remains were identified during the examination of faunal material 
in the laboratory. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Although site CA-SBA-210 was occupied during all major time 
periods, the presence of glass trade beads indicates its occupation 
after European contact (post-A.D. 1500).
    Between 1969-1973, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were collected from the surface of CA-SBA-210, located on 
the south side of Point Arguello on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa 
Barbara County, CA, by L. Spanne, as part of Air Force commissioned 
archeological reconnaissance work. No known individual was identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    Artifactual evidence indicates that site CA-SBA-210 was occupied 
throughout Santa Barbara prehistory and into the Mission Period. The 
age of the human remains is not clear.
    In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were excavated from CA-SBA-539, located on the south side of Honda 
Canyon on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M. 
Glassow, University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract with 
the Air Force. No discrete burials were identified in the field; 
instead the human remains were identified during the examination of 
faunal materials in the laboratory. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Radiocarbon dates from site CA-SBA-539 indicate a Middle Period 
occupation from 930-560 B.C.
    In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were excavated from CA-SBA-551, located just north of Point Arguello on 
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M. Glassow, 
University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract with the Air 
Force. No discrete burials were identified in the field; instead the 
human remains were identified during the examination of faunal material 
in the laboratory. No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Radiocarbon dates from site CA-SBA-551 indicate a date of 
occupation from 250 B.C.-A.D. 1260 (Middle to Late Periods).
    In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were excavated from CA-SBA-552, located on the east bank of Agua Vina 
Creek on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M. 
Glassow, University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract with 
the Air Force. No discrete burials were identified in the field; 
instead human remains were identified during the examination of faunal 
materials in the laboratory. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Radiocarbon dates for site CA-SBA-552 suggest an early date of 
5600-5150 B.C.
    In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were excavated from CA-SBA-931, located near the coast northeast of 
Surf Railroad Station on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara 
County, CA, by M. Glassow, University of California, Santa Barbara, 
under contract with the Air Force. No discrete burials were identified 
in the field; instead human remains were identified during the 
examination of faunal material in the laboratory. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Radiocarbon dates from site CA-SBA-931 indicate the presence of two 
temporally distinct occupations (8860-9220 BP and 2460-2300 BP).
    In 1987, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from CA-SBA-225, located on Vandenberg Air Force Base, 
Santa Barbara County, CA. No known individuals were identified. The one 
associated funerary object is an Olivella shell bead.
    In December 2006, Vandenberg Air Force professional staff conducted 
an inspection of its archeological collection that is curated at the 
Repository for Archaeological and Ethnographic Collections, University 
of California, Santa Barbara. The human remains described in this 
notice were removed from archeological sites located on Vandenberg Air 
Force Base during excavations and recoveries conducted between 1969 and 
1987. In 2007, Vandenberg Air Force contracted with a Physical 
Anthropologist from the University of California, Santa Barbara to 
conduct osteological tests and inventory human remains at the 
Repository. Tests proved that the human remains were Native American. 
In 2008, the associated funerary object described in this notice was 
identified. Additional Native American human remains and associated 
funerary objects removed from Vandenberg Air Force Base between 1991 
and 1994, and curated at the Repository have been described in a Notice 
of Intended Disposition published in 2008.
    Consultation evidence from representatives of the Santa Ynez 
Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California, 
supports the determination of the human remains as Native American, and 
that the removals were from sites that are known Chumash cultural sites 
predating contact with the Spanish. Also consistent with pre-contact 
Chumash burials are the associated funerary object described in this 
notice, and the others removed during the 1991-1994 excavations. Based 
on archeological, osteological, and consultation evidence, officials at 
Vandenberg Air Force Base have reasonably determined the human remains 
to have a shared group relationship with the Santa Ynez Chumash Mission 
Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
    Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of 13 individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base also have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the one object described above 
is 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. Lastly, officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between the Native American human remains and the associated funerary 
object and the Santa Ynez Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez 
Reservation, California.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
object should contact Beth McWaters-Bjorkman, 30 CES/CEVNC, 1028 
Iceland Ave., Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA 93437-6010, telephone (805) 
606-0533, before March 4, 2009. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object to the Santa Ynez Chumash Mission Indians of 
the Santa Ynez Reservation, California may proceed after that date if 
no additional claimants come forward.
    The Vandenberg Air Force Base is responsible for notifying the 
Santa Ynez Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, 
California that this notice has been published.


[[Page 5857]]


    Dated: December 31, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-2117 Filed 1-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S