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[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23802-23803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10378]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office, Phoenix, AZ, 
and Huhugam Heritage Center, Gila River Indian Community, AZ

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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the control of the U.S. Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office, Phoenix, AZ, 
and in the physical custody of the Huhugam Heritage Center, Gila River 
Indian Community, AZ, that meet the definition of ``unassociated 
funerary 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.
    Human remains and associated funerary objects from the sites 
described below were originally reported in a Notice of Inventory 
Completion published in the Federal Register (39 FR 8996-9002, February 
27, 2002); and subsequently corrected with two additional Notices of 
Inventory Completion (67 FR 45539-45540, July 9, 2002; 67 FR 78247-
78248, December 23, 2002). The materials reported in the earlier 
notices were repatriated to the affiliated tribes in October and 
November of 2002. A recent review of Bureau of Reclamation collections, 
now curated at the Huhugam Heritage Center, Gila River Indian 
Community, revealed the presence of additional possible isolated Native 
American human remains and 40 additional funerary objects, all 
culturally affiliated with the same tribes listed in the original 
notice. Although these possible isolated human remains were identified, 
they do not increase the number of individuals listed in the previously 
published notices. Since the human remains in the previous notices were 
repatriated, the funerary objects are now considered to be unassociated 
funerary objects.
    Between 1980 and 1981, during legally authorized data recovery 
efforts undertaken by the Arizona State Museum for the Bureau of 
Reclamation, human remains representing 20 individuals were recovered 
from the Siphon Draw site, AZ U: 10:6(ASM), south of Apache Junction, 
Pinal County, AZ. No known individuals were identified. Previously a 
total of 141 associated funerary objects were reported as also being 
recovered. In October 2002, these materials were repatriated to the 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona. An additional four funerary objects were recently identified 
in the Siphon Draw (AZ U:10:6(ASM)) collections. The four unassociated 
funerary objects are two unworked whole shells (terrestrial snails), 
one flotation, and one pollen sample.
    On the basis of archeological context, chronometric, architectural, 
ceramic, and other types of artifactual evidence, the site represents a 
Hohokam occupation of the Santa Cruz through Sacaton Phases (A.D. 700-
1150) of the Preclassic period.
    Between 1980 and 1981, during legally authorized data recovery 
efforts undertaken by the Arizona State Museum for the Bureau of 
Reclamation, human remains representing 31 individuals were recovered 
from the Las Fosas site, AZ U:15:19(ASM), in the Gila Valley east of 
Florence, Pinal County, AZ. No known individuals were identified. 
Previously a total of 290 associated funerary objects were reported as 
also being recovered. In October 2002, these materials were repatriated 
to the Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona. An additional 24 funerary objects were recently 
identified in the Las Fosas, AZ U:15:19(ASM), collections. The 24 
unassociated funerary objects are 1 reconstructable ceramic bowl, 2 
individual ceramic sherds, 2 bags ceramic sherds, 1 bag chipped stone, 
2 unworked obsidian nodules, 1 bag of unworked faunal bone (including a 
near-complete macaw), 1 soil sample with possible cremains, 13 
unprocessed soil samples, and 1 unprocessed flotation sample.
    On the basis of archeological context, chronometric, architectural, 
ceramic, and other types of artifactual evidence, the site represents a 
Hohokam occupation of the Classic period (A.D. 1150-1450).
    Between 1980 and 1981, during legally authorized data recovery 
efforts undertaken by the Arizona State Museum for the Bureau of 
Reclamation, human remains representing a minimum of 31 individuals 
were recovered from Frogtown, AZ U:15:61(ASM), west of Florence 
Junction, Pinal County, AZ. No known individuals were identified. 
Previously a total of 120 associated funerary objects were also 
reported as being recovered. In October 2002, these materials were 
repatriated to the Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona. An additional 10 funerary objects were recently 
identified in the Frogtown (AZ U:15:61(ASM)) collection, as well as 
possible human remains of a previously repatriated individual. The 10 
unassociated funerary objects are 1 stone palette fragment, 3 pieces of 
worked shell, 1 piece unworked shell, 3 bags of unworked faunal bone 
mixed with possible human remains, 1 unprocessed flotation sample with 
possible human remains, and 1 unprocessed flotation sample.
    On the basis of archeological context, chronometric, architectural, 
ceramic, and other types of artifactual evidence, the site represents a 
Hohokam occupation of the Santa Cruz and Sacaton Phases (A.D. 750-1150) 
of the Preclassic period.
    Between 1980 and 1981, during legally authorized data recovery 
efforts undertaken by the Arizona State Museum for the Bureau of 
Reclamation, human remains representing a minimum of six individuals 
were recovered from site AZ U:15:85(ASM), in Pinal County, AZ. No known 
individuals were identified. Previously a total of 10 associated 
funerary objects were also reported as being recovered. In October 
2002, these materials were repatriated to the Gila River Indian 
Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona. The two 
funerary objects recently identified in the AZ U:15:85(ASM) collections 
are two bags of ceramic sherds.
    On the basis of archeological context, chronometric, architectural, 
ceramic, and other types of artifactual evidence, the site represents a 
Hohokam occupation of the Classic period (A.D. 1150-1450).
    Evidence provided by anthropological, archeological, biological, 
geographical, historical, kinship, linguistics, and oral tradition 
sources was considered in determining the cultural affiliation of the 
funerary objects. Bureau of Reclamation officials

[[Page 23803]]

have determined that the preponderance of the evidence suggests that 
the historic O'odham groups (Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Ak-Chin 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; 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, including the San Xavier District) have a 
strong cultural affiliation with the prehistoric Hohokam who occupied 
the middle Gila Valley and surrounding areas. Great similarities in 
settlement patterns, economic systems, architecture, and material 
culture point to a close relationship between the Hohokam and the 
O'odham groups. The O'odham were well established along the rivers and 
in the deserts when the Spanish first arrived in northern Sonora and 
southern Arizona.
    One of the two Pima moieties claims descend from the Hohokam, while 
the other moiety is said to have descended from the ``emergers,'' those 
who overthrew the Hohokam leaders. Although the O'odham belong to the 
same linguistic group (Piman) as communities in what is now northern 
Mexico, shared vocabulary and syntax with Yuman language groups along 
the Colorado River suggests a long-term history of interaction that 
stretches back into prehistoric times in what is now southern Arizona.
    Evidence also shows the affiliation of ancestral Zuni and Hopi 
groups with the prehistoric Hohokam. Interaction is indicated by the 
presence of trade items, particularly ceramics. Such interaction 
continued into protohistoric and early historic times. In addition to 
trade, Hopi and Zuni migration traditions indicate that clans 
originating from areas south of the Colorado Plateau joined the plateau 
communities late in prehistoric times. These groups contributed 
ceremonies, societies, and iconography to the plateau groups. Both 
O'odham and Western Pueblo oral traditions indicate that some Hohokam 
groups may have left the Salt-Gila River Basin after disastrous floods 
and social upheaval. These groups traveled north and east, possibly to 
be assimilated by the Hopi and Zuni. These ties are reflected in some 
of the traditional ceremonies maintained as part of the annual 
ceremonial cycle. Therefore, the evidence suggests that the Hopi and 
Zuni are also culturally affiliated with the Hohokam. Their ancestors 
had trade relationships and other likely interactions with the Hohokam, 
similar to those found between groups in the early historic period. 
Hopi and Zuni oral traditions indicate that segments of the prehistoric 
Hohokam population migrated to the areas occupied by the Hopi and Zuni 
and were assimilated into the resident populations.
    Officials of the Bureau of Reclamation have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 40 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 are believed to have been removed from a specific burial 
site of Native American individuals. Officials of the Bureau of 
Reclamation also 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 unassociated funerary objects and the Ak-Chin Indian 
Community of the Maricopa (Ak-Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila 
River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the 
Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and 
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
    Representative of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact in writing Carol Erwin, Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, 
Phoenix Area Office, 6150 West Thunderbird Road, Glendale, AZ 85306-
4001, before June 3, 2010. Repatriation of the unassociated funerary 
objects to the Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak-Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River 
Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; 
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico, may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Bureau of Reclamation is responsible for notifying the Ak-Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak-Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe of the Chemehuevi Indian Reservation, 
California; Cocopah Tribe of Arizona; Colorado River Indian Tribes of 
the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona and California; Fort 
McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona; Fort Mohave Indian Tribe of Arizona, 
California, and Nevada; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Pascua Yaqui Tribe 
of Arizona; Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, 
California and Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of 
the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San 
Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; Tonto 
Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache 
Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott Tribe of the Yavapai 
Reservation, Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 6, 2010.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-10378 Filed 5-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S
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