SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the VVAC and MNA, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been identified from the Dyck Cliff Dwelling. The 78 associated funerary objects are 58 textile fragments, 13 cordage fragments, two shell ankle bracelets, one gourd, one faunal bone, one ceramic sherd, one sample of tree bark, and one vegetal sample. No known potentially hazardous substances were used to treat the human remains or associated funerary objects.

The Dyck Cliff Dwelling is on private land owned by Paul Dyck at the time of excavation, in Yavapai County, Arizona. The site was occupied by the Southern Sinagua between A.D. 1050 and A.D. 1300. The dwelling was excavated by the Southwest Museum between 1962 and 1972. The collection was housed at the Southwest Museum for analysis and preparation of a report. In 1964, the Southwest Museum returned the burial to Paul Dyck, who then traded the burial to Clay Lockett, who then donated the burial to MNA. A total of 52 associated funerary objects were also donated to MNA but six objects were retained by Paul Dyck. The remaining collection at the Southwest Museum was transferred to the Paul Dyck Foundation Research Institute of American Indian Culture in 1986 and stored on his land in Arizona. The Paul Dyck Foundation donated the collection, including the six funerary objects from this burial, to the VVAC in 2014. Both the VVAC and MNA care for objects associated with the burial.

Cultural Affiliation

Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available about the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

The VVAC and MNA have determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
• The 78 objects described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony.
• There is a connection between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:

1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice. ( printed page 72898)

2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with cultural affiliation.

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after December 14, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the VVAC and MNA must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing requests. The VVAC and MNA are responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.

Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

91 FR 72897