[Federal Register: March 15, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 50)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14058]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15mr11-118]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]

 
Notice of Inventory Completion: Fremont County Coroner, Riverton, 
WY

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 and control of the Fremont County Coroner, 
Riverton, WY. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Fremont County, WY.
    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 Fremont 
County Coroner professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming.
    On June 7, 2010, human remains representing one individual were 
removed from the Sinks Canyon Site, Fremont County, WY. The remains 
were found along a hiking trail that was undergoing maintenance for the 
summer hiking season. No known individual was identified. The 373 
associated funerary objects are 2 fragments of freshwater clam shells, 
32 dentalia shell beads, 2 bird bone beads, 8 chokecherry seed beads, 
162 bone heishi-style beads, 158 lignite heishi-style beads, 5 
fragmentary bone heishi-style beads, 1 shell bead, and 3 chert 
microflakes.
    The Sinks Canyon site is located on what was originally part of the 
Wind River Reservation, but subsequently transferred and is no longer 
reservation land. The area of the Wind River Reservation is the 
traditional land of the Eastern Shoshone, now the Shoshone Tribe of the 
Wind River Reservation, Wyoming. The land was chosen by Chief Washakie 
as the reservation for his tribe as set forth in the Fort Bridger 
Treaty of 1868. Although the Arapahoe Tribe also reside on the Wind 
River Reservation, they were moved onto it at a later date after the 
Treaty of 1868.
    After discovery, the remains were submitted to Rick L. Weathermon, 
Osteoarchaeologist, University of Wyoming, for examination. The 
examination determined that the human remains are those of a Native 
American female between 50 and 70 years of age. Some traits and 
associated funerary objects suggest that the remains are from the 
Fremont Culture that inhabited the central Wyoming area over 600 years 
ago. Based on consultation with a Shoshone tribal representative, there 
is a shared group relationship between the Shoshone Tribe of the Wind 
River Reservation, Wyoming, and the Fremont Culture, the identifiable 
earlier group, based on oral history.
    Officials of the Fremont County Coroner's Office have determined, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), that the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Fremont County Coroner's Office also have 
determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), that the 373 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 Fremont County 
Coroner's Office have determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), that 
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 Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Edward R. McAuslan, Fremont County Coroner, 322 
North 8th West, Riverton, WY 82501, telephone (307) 856-7150, before 
April 14, 2011. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming, may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    The Fremont County Coroner is responsible for notifying the 
Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming, that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: March 9, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-5864 Filed 3-14-11; 8:45 am]
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