83 FR 28259 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 117 (June 18, 2018)

The Heard Museum has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the Heard Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28259-28260]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13030]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0025477; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Heard Museum has completed an inventory of human remains 
and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that 
there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects and present-day Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any 
Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
Heard Museum. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations 
stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Heard Museum at the address in this 
notice by July 18, 2018.

ADDRESSES: David Roche, Director/CEO, Heard Museum, 2301 N Central 
Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004, telephone (602) 252-8840, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 under the control of the Heard Museum, 
Phoenix, AZ. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Maricopa and Pinal Counties, AZ.
    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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Heard 
Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of Ak-
Chin Indian Community (previously listed as the Ak Chin Indian 
Community of the Maricopa (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 Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.

History and Description of the Remains

    Prior to 1952, human remains representing, at minimum, seven 
individuals were removed from La Ciudad in Maricopa County, AZ. The 
seven individuals were collected by Frank Mitalsky, a.k.a. Frank 
Midvale, probably in the 1920s, and were subsequently transferred to 
the Heard Museum prior to 1952. The individuals include one adult of 
unknown gender; one young adult, probably female; one middle-aged 
adult, possibly male; one adult male 30-35 years old; one young female; 
one adolescent about 10-12 years old; and one newborn. No known 
individuals were identified. The 51 associated funerary objects are six 
jars, 28 potsherds, two shells, nine shell fragments, three fragments 
of mica, one stone disk, one bone bead, and one stone flake. La Ciudad 
was a very large Hohokam settlement which was inhabited from about AD 
650 to 1450.
    Sometime prior to 1969, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in AZ. In 1969, they were 
donated to the Heard Museum by Mrs. D.T. Bergin, Sr. of Tucson, AZ. The 
human remains belong to an adult of unknown gender. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
jar. The jar conforms to the Hohokam pottery type known as ``Gila 
Plain.''
    Prior to 1960, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed from an unknown site in AZ. Prior to coming to 
the Heard Museum in 1970, the remains were purchased by Harold R. 
Kennedy from Claud Black, who purchased them from a Mr. Cross between 
1935 and 1960. The remains consist of one middle aged adult of unknown 
gender, one younger person of unknown gender; and one adult aged 30-45, 
probably male. No known individuals were identified. The four 
associated funerary objects are three jars and one jar cover. One of 
the jars conforms to the Hohokam pottery type known as ``Salt Red.'' 
The other three ceramics conform to the Hohokam pottery type known as 
``Gila Plain.''
    Prior to 1952, human remains representing, at minimum, five 
individuals were removed from a site two miles southwest of Sacaton, 
Pinal County, AZ. These remains were collected by Carl A. Moosberg, and 
include one elderly male; two individuals, possibly male and female; 
one female older adult; and one individual who was probably female. No 
known individuals were identified. The six associated funerary objects 
are three jars, one bowl, one lid, and one potsherd. The jars, bowl and 
lid all conform to the Hohokam pottery type known as ``Sacaton.''
    Prior to 1952, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from southern AZ. The individual was a middle-
aged male. No known individuals were identified. The one associated 
funerary object was a jar. The jar conforms to the Hohokam pottery type 
known as ``Casa Grande.''
    Prior to 1952, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed from a site near Cashion, Maricopa County, AZ. 
These remains were collected by Russell Cross, and include two young 
children and one infant. No known individuals were identified. The six 
associated funerary objects are one jar, three potsherds, one shell 
fragment, and one worked bone fragment. The jar conforms to the Hohokam 
pottery type known as ``Sacaton,'' and two of the potsherds conform to 
the Hohokam pottery type known as ``Gila Red.''
    Prior to 1952, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Maricopa County, AZ. The individual is an 
adult of unknown gender, who was found in the museum collection and 
determined by context to be Hohokam. No known

[[Page 28260]]

individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    The Hohokam lived in central and southern Arizona from about A.D. 1 
to 1450. In 1989, the Ak-Chin Indian Community (previously listed as 
the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (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 Tohono O'odham Nation of 
Arizona stated that they are the present-day descendants of the 
``Hohokam.''

Determinations Made by the Heard Museum

    Officials of the Heard Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 21 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 69 objects described 
in this notice 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.
     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 Ak-Chin 
Indian Community (previously listed as the Ak Chin Indian Community of 
the Maricopa (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 Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to David Roche, Director/CEO, Heard Museum, 2301 
N Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004, telephone (602) 252-8840, email 
[email protected], by July 18, 2018. After that date, if no additional 
requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects to Ak-Chin Indian Community (previously 
listed as the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (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 Tohono O'odham Nation of 
Arizona may proceed.
    The Heard Museum is responsible for notifying the Ak-Chin Indian 
Community (previously listed as the Ak Chin Indian Community of the 
Maricopa (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 Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: April 19, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-13030 Filed 6-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P