[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54076-54078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18082]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: School of American Research, 
Santa Fe, NM

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 School of American Research, Santa Fe, 
NM. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
Santa Fe County, NM.
    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 was made by the School 
of American Research professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of San Juan, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; and 
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Between 1970 and 1974, human remains representing a minimum of 283 
individuals were removed from the Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site (LA 12), 
Santa Fe County, NM, during archeological investigations led by Dr. 
Douglas Schwartz, School of American

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Research staff. The excavations were funded primarily through grants 
from the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic 
Society. The site was originally owned by the School of American 
Research and donated to the Archaeological Conservancy in February 
2003. The collection from the project, including 120 burials and 163 
isolated human remains, are cared for at the School of American 
Research, except for 425 tree ring samples kept at the Laboratory of 
Tree Ring Research, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. No known 
individuals were identified. The 217 lots of associated funerary 
objects are 6 groups of beads, 20 groups of pottery sherds or ceramic 
items, 75 deteriorated remains of textiles and/or hides, 6 groups of 
bark fragments, 39 yucca-fiber mats, 9 lots of faunal bone artifacts, 7 
lots of corncobs, 21 groups of lithics, 10 groups of wooden objects 
fragments, 3 basket fragment groups, 6 lots of vegetal material, 2 lots 
of combined yucca mats and textiles/hides, 1 lot of combined corncob 
and wood ornament, 1 lot of combined corncob and basketry fragment, and 
11 groups of unidentifiable organic materials.
    The Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site was founded circa A.D. 1300. Adobe 
roomblocks were built forming great plazas. By A.D. 1330, the Arroyo 
Hondo Pueblo site had 24 roomblocks constructed around ten wholly or 
partially enclosed plazas. By A.D. 1345, possibly due to changes in the 
annual precipitation, the pueblo was virtually abandoned, occupied by a 
small remnant and possibly seasonal population. This phase of 
settlement is referred to as the Component I occupation of Arroyo Hondo 
Pueblo site. In the 1370s, building on top of the ruins of the site, 
another phase of settlement began, which is referred to as Component 
II. Soon after A.D. 1410, the region was again affected by drought and 
the site was largely abandoned. In circa A.D. 1420, a fire destroyed a 
large part of the village, and within a few years the second and final 
occupation of the Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site came to an end.
    The site is within the northern Rio Grande area and located near 
the pueblo sites of Pecos, San Cristobal, and Pindi. However, no oral 
traditions affiliate one specific Pueblo with the Arroyo Hondo Pueblo 
site. Physical anthropolgy, archeological investigations, and 
architecture indicate it was a northern Rio Grande Pueblo site, which 
potentially links the site to all contemporary Pueblo and Tewa-Hopi 
groups.
    Extensive literature published by the School of American Research 
Press in eight separate volumes on the Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site, and in 
Ann M. Palkovich's Pueblo Population and Society: The Arroyo Hondo 
Skeletal and Mortuary Remains, James Mackey in Appendix G, ``Arroyo 
Hondo Population Affinities'', affiliates the Arroyo Hondo site with 
the Tewa-Tano linguistic group based on statistical analysis of 
measurable features of the human remains compared with other 
contemporary populations. While the biological studies possibly 
indicate a Tewa-Tano linguistic group, it is certainly possible that 
the Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site, which is within the larger Rio Grande 
Pueblo tradition and the population movements after the occupation 
dates, may be linked to any or all of the contemporary Pueblo and Tewa-
Hopi groups with whom the School of American Research consulted.
    The pottery and other material goods reflect a northern Rio Grande 
tradition. The Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site is a Rio Grande Pueblo site due 
to the nature of its construction and use of plaza spaces and kivas. 
Similarities can be seen between the Arroyo Hondo Pueblo site and other 
contemporary sites in the northern Rio Grande.
    Pueblo and Tewa-Hopi groups are represented today by the federally 
recognized Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo 
of San Juan, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa 
Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo 
Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico.
    Officials of the School of American Research have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of 283 individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the School of American Research also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 217 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 School of American 
Research 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 Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of San Juan, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; and Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Kathleen Whitaker, School of American 
Research, PO BOX 2188, Santa Fe, NM 87504, telephone (505) 954-7205, 
before October 13, 2005. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to the Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of 
Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Juan, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa 
Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; 
and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    School of American Research is responsible for notifying the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona; Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; Pueblo of Cochiti, New 
Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico; 
Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Picuris, New Mexico; Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Felipe, New Mexico; Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico; Pueblo of San 
Juan, New Mexico; Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Ana, 
New Mexico; Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico; Pueblo of

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Santo Domingo, New Mexico; Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico; Pueblo of 
Tesuque, New Mexico; Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico; and Zuni Tribe of the 
Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 3, 2005
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 05-18082 Filed 9-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S