Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices 19697 

exterior which is consistent with 

exposure to heat during cremation. 

Sometime in the 1970s, archeologist 

William Seidel collected one pipe bowl 

fragment from site CA–SDI–2663 in the 

Borrego Sink area of Borrego Springs, 

CA, an area known to be a gathering 

place for ceremonial and social 

occasions and known to contain 

numerous cremation burials. The object 

is an unassociated funerary object based 

on the proximity of human cremation 

burials in the area, the ceremonial/ 

personal nature of the object, and the 

burned exterior which is consistent with 

exposure to heat during cremation. 

In 1969, an anonymous park visitor 

collected a quartz crystal, a Haliotis 

shell pendant fragment, and two burnt 

Olivella shell beads from an 

unidentified site above Lower Willows 

(most likely site CA–SDI–331 or site 

CA–SDI–343), in the Borrego Palm 

Canyon area of Anza Borrego Desert 

State Park, an area of known to contain 

large village sites with cremation 

burials. The objects are unassociated 

funerary objects based on the proximity 

of human cremation burials in the area, 

the ceremonial/personal nature of the 

objects, and the burned exterior which 

is consistent with exposure to heat 

during cremation. 

In 1967, an anonymous park visitor 

collected a pipe bowl fragment from an 

unidentified site in the Coyote Canyon 

area of Anza Borrego Desert State Park, 

an area known to contain large village 

sites with cremation burials. The pipe 

fragment is an unassociated funerary 

object based on the proximity of human 

cremation burials in the area and the 

ceremonial/personal nature of the 

object. Although the object does not 

appear to be heavily burned, it is more 

likely than not to have come from a 

funerary context. 

Sometime in the 1970s, archaeologist 

William Seidel collected a pipe 

fragment from an unidentified site 

located south of the elementary school 

in Borrego Springs, CA, an area known 

to contain a number of cremation 

burials and a gathering place for 

Cahuilla people for ceremonial and 

social occasions. The pipe is an 

unassociated funerary object based on 

the proximity of human cremation 

burials in the area and the ceremonial/ 

personal nature of the object. Although 

the object does not appear to be heavily 

burned, it is more likely than not to 

have come from a funerary context. 

Determinations Made by the California 

Department of Parks and Recreation 

Officials of the California Department 

of Parks and Recreation have 

determined that: 

• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), 

the 91 cultural items described above 

are 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 and 

is believed, by a preponderance of the 

evidence, to have been removed from a 

specific burial site of a Native American 

individual. 

• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there 

is a relationship of shared group 

identity that can be reasonably traced 

between the unassociated funerary 

objects and the Agua Caliente Band of 

Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente 

Indian Reservation, California; 

Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, 

California (formerly the Augustine Band 

of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the 

Augustine Reservation); Cabazon Band 

of Mission Indians, California; Cahuilla 

Band of Mission Indians of the Cahuilla 

Reservation, California; Los Coyotes 

Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians, 

California (formerly the Los Coyotes 

Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians of 

the Los Coyotes Reservation); Morongo 

Band of Mission Indians, California 

(formerly the Morongo Band of Cahuilla 

Mission Indians of the Morongo 

Reservation); Ramona Band of Cahuilla, 

California (formerly the Ramona Band 

or Village of Cahuilla Mission Indians of 

California); Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla 

Indians, California (formerly the Santa 

Rosa Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians 

of the Santa Rosa Reservation); and 

Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla 

Indians, California (formerly the TorresMartinez Band of Cahuilla Mission 

Indians of California) (hereafter referred 

to as ‘‘The Tribes’’). 

Additional Requestors and Disposition 

Representatives of any Indian tribe 

that believes itself to be culturally 

affiliated with the unassociated funerary 

object should contact Rebecca 

Carruthers, NAGPRA Coordinator, 

California Department of Parks and 

Recreation, 1416 9th Street, Room 902, 

Sacramento CA 95814, telephone (916) 

653–8893, before May 2, 2012. 

Repatriation of the unassociated 

funerary objects to The Tribes may 

proceed after that date if no additional 

claimants come forward. 

The California Department of Parks 

and Recreation is responsible for 

notifying The Tribes that this notice has 

been published. 

Dated: March 28, 2012. 

Sherry Hutt, 

Manager, National NAGPRA Program. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7889 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4312–50–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

[2253–665] 

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural 

Items: Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology, University of New 

Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology, in consultation with the 

appropriate Indian tribes, has 

determined that a collection of cultural 

items meet the definition of sacred 

objects and repatriation to the Indian 

tribes stated below may occur if no 

additional claimants come forward. 

Representatives of any Indian tribe that 

believes itself to be culturally affiliated 

with the cultural items may contact the 

Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. 

DATES: Representatives of any Indian 

tribe that believes it has a cultural 

affiliation with the cultural items 

should contact the Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology at the address below by 

May 2, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: David Phillips, Curator of 

Archaeology, Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology, MSC01 1050, University 

of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 

87131, telephone (505) 277–9229. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

here given in accordance with the 

Native American Graves Protection and 

Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 

3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural 

items under the control of the Maxwell 

Museum of Anthropology, University of 

New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, that 

meet the definition of sacred objects 

under 25 U.S.C. 3001. 

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 cultural items. The National 

Park Service is not responsible for the 

determinations in this notice. 

History and Description of the Cultural 

Items 

In 1949, the University of New 

Mexico (UNM) conducted an 

archeological field school at site LA 

46316 (Wahaniak Shukuk Shtuitauwa/ 

Correo Snake Pit) in Valencia County, 

NM. UNM students collected cultural 

objects from the site, many made of 

perishable materials. Limited additional 

collecting at the site by UNM probably 

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19698 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices 

took place in the year or years 

immediately following the field school. 

The items removed from site LA 46316 

include 90 sacred objects commonly 

called prayer sticks, materials for 

making prayer sticks, decomposed 

prayer sticks, and six lots of loose 

feathers, at least some of which were a 

part of prayer sticks. 

The collection was transferred to the 

Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. Due 

to poor documentation and analysis, the 

full extent and nature of the collection 

emerged only recently, as analysts began 

detailed studies of the cultural objects. 

To date, the UMN collection from site 

LA 46316 includes the sacred objects 

detailed above as well as other cultural 

items and two partial sets of human 

remains, which require additional 

consultation and analysis before 

determinations can be made. 

Based on radiocarbon dating, site LA 

46316 was first used around B.C. 1400, 

and remained in use for centuries. The 

site is an ecumenical shrine, containing 

a travertine dome with dry deposits. 

The first documented excavation of the 

site occurred in 1917 by Elsie Clews 

Parsons, who reported even earlier 

activities on the site by ‘‘treasure 

seekers.’’ Parsons described the shrine 

as a Laguna shrine, but stated that the 

site was used by visitors from ‘‘Acoma, 

Zuni, and other towns.’’ At the time of 

the UNM field school in 1949, the site 

was on privately owned land, but more 

recently, the land area was purchased 

by the Pueblo of Laguna. Today, the 

Pueblo of Laguna continues to use the 

site and considers itself the custodian of 

the shrine. During a 2011 inspection of 

the sacred objects, delegates from the 

Pueblo of Laguna confirmed the 

presence of Laguna and Acoma sacred 

objects in the collection and indicated 

that other sacred objects may be related 

to the Zuni and Hopi tribes. The sacred 

objects in this notice are reasonably 

believed to be affiliated with the Pueblo 

of Laguna as well as other Pueblo 

Indians (including, but not limited to, 

the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of 

Acoma, New Mexico; and the Zuni 

Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 

Mexico). 

In response to consultations with 

Indian tribes (including in a letter from 

the Governor of the Pueblo of Laguna, 

representing the Pueblo in its role as 

land owner and custodian of the shrine), 

the staff of the Maxwell Museum will 

rebury the ‘‘prayer sticks,’’ ‘‘prayer stick 

materials,’’ and loose feathers from site 

LA 46316. The Pueblo of Laguna has 

agreed to provide access to the shrine 

and to supervise the return of the sacred 

objects. 

Determinations Made by the Maxwell 

Museum of Anthropology 

Officials of the Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology have determined that: 

• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), 

the 96 cultural items described above 

are specific ceremonial objects needed 

by traditional Native American religious 

leaders for the practice of traditional 

Native American religions by their 

present-day adherents. 

• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there 

is a relationship of shared group 

identity that can be reasonably traced 

between the sacred objects and the Hopi 

Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New 

Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; 

and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 

Reservation, New Mexico. 

Additional Requestors and Disposition 

Representatives of any other Indian 

tribe that believes itself to be culturally 

affiliated with the sacred objects should 

contact David Phillips, Curator of 

Archaeology, Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology, MSC01 1050, University 

of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 

87131, telephone (505) 277–9229, before 

May 2, 2012. Repatriation of the sacred 

objects to the Pueblo of Laguna, New 

Mexico, may proceed after that date if 

no additional claimants come forward. 

The Maxwell Museum of 

Anthropology is responsible for 

notifying the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; 

Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo 

of Laguna, New Mexico; and the Zuni 

Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 

Mexico that this notice has been 

published. 

Dated: March 28, 2012 

Sherry Hutt, 

Manager, National NAGPRA Program. 

[FR Doc. 2012–7884 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4312–50–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

National Park Service 

[2253–665] 

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural 

Items: Rochester Museum & Science 

Center, Rochester, NY 

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Rochester Museum & 

Science Center, in consultation with the 

appropriate Indian tribe, has determined 

that the cultural items meet the 

definition of both sacred objects and 

objects of cultural patrimony and 

repatriation to the Indian tribe stated 

below may occur if no additional 

claimants come forward. 

Representatives of any Indian tribe that 

believes itself to be culturally affiliated 

with the cultural items may contact the 

Rochester Museum & Science Center. 

DATES: Representatives of any Indian 

tribe that believes it has a cultural 

affiliation with the cultural items 

should contact the Rochester Museum & 

Science Center at the address below by 

May 2, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Adele DeRosa, Rochester 

Museum & Science Center, 657 East 

Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607, 

telephone (585) 271–4552 x 302. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

here given in accordance with the 

Native American Graves Protection and 

Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 

3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural 

items under the control of the Rochester 

Museum & Science Center that meet the 

definition of both sacred objects and 

objects of cultural patrimony under 25 

U.S.C. 3001. 

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 cultural 

items. The National Park Service is not 

responsible for the determinations in 

this notice. 

History and Description of the Cultural 

Items 

Between 1923 and 1984, the 

Rochester Museum & Science Center 

acquired 36 medicine faces made by 

members of the Seneca Nation of New 

York from a variety of sources. All of 

these medicine faces are currently in the 

possession of the Rochester Museum & 

Science Center. 

In 1928, Alvin Dewey received from 

the Rev. John W. Sanborn collection two 

19th century cornhusk medicine faces 

(29.259.36/AE 2914/D 10626 and 

29.259.77/AE 2914/D 10625). Rev. 

Sanborn was appointed missionary to 

the Seneca Indians at Gowanda in 1877 

and was adopted into the wolf clan. 

In 1934, Arthur Parker acquired two 

19th century cornhusk medicine faces 

(34.141.1/AE 2480 and 34.141.2/AE 

2480) and one 19th century wooden 

medicine face (34.141.3/AE 2481) on the 

Cattaraugus Reservation. 

In 1924, E.D. Putnam purchased two 

19th century wooden medicine faces 

(24.61.5/AE 0500 and 24.61.13/AE 

0509) on the Allegany Reservation. 

In 1923, E.D. Putnam purchased two 

19th century small wooden medicine 

faces (23.32.77/AE 363A and 23.32.40/ 

AE 0366) and three 19th century large 

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