[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 47 (Thursday, March 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10757-10758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5334]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Peoples and Cultures, 
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT

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 associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Museum of Peoples and Cultures, 
Brigham Young University, Provo, UT. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Utah County, UT.
    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 objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by the Brigham Young

[[Page 10758]]

University, Museum of Peoples and Cultures professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah 
& Ouray Reservation, Utah and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain 
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah.
    In 1931, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals 
were removed from site 42UT134, American Fork Canyon, Utah County, UT, 
by two mineral prospectors, Mr. Strausburg and Mr. Healy. In 1967, Mr. 
Strausburg and Mr. Healy donated the human remains to the Museum of 
Peoples and Cultures (Catalog Nos. 1967.70.31.1-3 and 1967.70.33.1; and 
No. 1967.73.1). No known individuals were identified. The 256 
associated funerary objects are 2 tin powder canisters, 1 cartridge, 33 
lead musket balls, 4 stirrups, 2 bits, 2 copper bars, 1 iron clapper, 1 
flint striker, 2 iron rings, 1 percussion cap, 1 iron sword hilt, 1 
clay pipe, 166 beads, 1 pendant, 1 tin spoon, 2 leather strips, 1 rope, 
1 horn fragment, 1 piece of worked bone, and 32 glass beads
    Site 42UT143 is located on the north side of American Fork Canyon, 
about 1/2 mile east of the mouth of the canyon. The site consists of a 
single burial mound that contained both individuals and associated 
funerary objects. The associated funerary objects date the burial to 
circa A.D. 1860-1870.
    At an unknown time prior to 1967, human remains representing three 
individuals were removed from site 42UT225, Water Canyon, east of 
Salem, Utah County, UT, by unknown persons. The human remains were 
donated to the Museum of Peoples and Cultures in 1967 by unknown 
individuals (Catalog No. 1967.66.1, 1967.66.2, and 1967.66.4). No known 
individuals were identified. The 183 associated funerary objects are 35 
faunal bones, approximately 10 leather strips, 4 pistol parts, 1 iron 
lock plate, 4 rifle parts, 1 brass gun cap box, 6 glass buttons, 2 
brass buttons, 1 brass bracelet, 1 copper bell, 2 rifle barrels, 1 
leather belt fragment, 1 group of wood and bone fragments, 2 leather 
shoes, 3 groups of leather fragments covered in red ochre, 1 group of 
leather fragments, 1 leather knife sheath, 1 rusted metal bayonet, 1 
axe blade, 1 metal belt buckle, 1 metal cylinder, 1 piece of a rifle 
hand guard, 2 straight-blade knives, 3 metal rings, 1 small metal 
buckle, 11 metal projectile points, 2 metal cylinders (part of a 
rifle), 1 metal spoon, 1 pair of metal scissors, 4 metal canister parts 
(possibly a powder flask), 1 leather knife case, 1 antler piece, 60 
musket balls of varying sizes, 10 metal scraps, 1 wood fragment, and 4 
wood and metal fragments (possibly parts of pocket knives).
    Site 42UT225 is located about 500 feet from the mouth of Water 
Canyon, at the foot of a rock slide. The associated funerary objects 
date the burials to circa A.D. 1860-1870.
    Consultation with representatives of the Ute Indian Tribe of the 
Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute 
Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah indicate that the 
types of associated funerary objects and manner of burial were 
consistent with Ute practices dating to the mid- to late- 1800s. The 
location of the burials and associated funerary objects are also within 
historic Ute territory.
    Officials of the Brigham Young University, Museum of Peoples and 
Cultures have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the 
human remains described above represent the physical remains of a 
minimum of five individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of 
the Brigham Young University, Museum of Peoples and Cultures also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 439 objects 
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. Lastly, officials of the Brigham Young 
University, Museum of Peoples and Cultures 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 associated funerary objects and the Ute Indian Tribe 
of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah and Ute Mountain Tribe of the 
Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Paul Stavast, Museum of Peoples and Cultures, 
Brigham Young University, 105 Allen Hall, Provo, UT 84602-3600, 
telephone (801) 422-0018, before April 13, 2009. Repatriation of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Ute Indian Tribe 
of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah and Ute Mountain Tribe of the 
Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Brigham Young University, Museum of Peoples and Cultures is 
responsible for notifying the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray 
Reservation, Utah and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain 
Reservation, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: February 13, 2009
Sangita Chari,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-5334 Filed 3-11-09; 8:45 am]
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