[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 208 (Friday, October 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65403-65404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26316]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-11477; 2200-1100-665]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, 
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Maxwell Museum's Laboratory of Human Osteology has 
completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribe, and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and a present-day Indian tribe.

[[Page 65404]]

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact the Maxwell 
Museum of Anthropology. Repatriation of the human remains to the Indian 
tribe stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the Maxwell 
Museum at the address below by November 26, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Heather Edgar, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, MSC01 
1050, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, telephone 
(505) 277-4415.

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 in the 
possession of the Maxwell Museum in Albuquerque, NM. The human remains 
were removed from Sandoval 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. 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 
professional staff in the Maxwell Museum's Laboratory of Human 
Osteology in consultation with representatives of the Pueblo of Jemez, 
New Mexico.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 1934 and 1935, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from the Jemez Cave site in Sandoval County, 
NM, by directors of the University of New Mexico Field School and eight 
laborers. The Museum of New Mexico, the School of American Research, 
and the University of New Mexico supported the project and the 
excavation. The human remains were accessioned by the Maxwell Museum in 
1990. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In the early 1900s, human remains representing, at minimum, seven 
individuals were removed from the Amoxiumqua site (LA 481), in Sandoval 
County, NM, during excavations by University of New Mexico field 
schools. The human remains were accessioned by the Maxwell Museum in 
1973. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Between 1939 and 1949, human remains representing, at minimum, 22 
individuals were removed from the BJ 74 site (LA 38962), in Sandoval 
County, NM, during excavations by Paul Reiter and students from the 
University of New Mexico. The human remains were accessioned by the 
Maxwell Museum in 2006. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    The sites listed in this notice are Puebloan sites of the upper 
Jemez River drainage and are ancestral Jemez sites. Populations that 
inhabited these locations are linked by Native oral tradition, Euro-
American records, and archaeological evidence to members of the 
present-day Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico.

Determinations Made by the Maxwell Museum

    Officials of the Maxwell Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 30 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 the Pueblo of Jemez.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. Heather 
Edgar, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, 
telephone (505) 277-4415 before November 26, 2012. Repatriation of the 
human remains to the Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico, may proceed after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Maxwell Museum is responsible for notifying the Pueblo of 
Jemez, New Mexico, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 10, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-26316 Filed 10-25-12; 8:45 am]
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