FR Doc 2010-20942[Federal Register: August 24, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 163)]
[Notices]               
[Page 52014]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24au10-71]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service
 
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: University of 
Montana, Missoula, MT

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 possession of the University of 
Montana, Missoula, MT, 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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    In 1972, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from a site along the upper Rattlesnake Creek in Missoula 
County, MT. The human remains were described in a Notice of Inventory 
Completion published in the Federal Register (68 FR 50187-50189, August 
20, 2003), and subsequently repatriated to the Confederated Salish & 
Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana. In July 2009, the 
funerary objects associated with the individual were discovered in the 
collection. The funerary objects were not curated or accessioned with 
the human remains, and therefore, were not previously identified. Since 
the individual is no longer in the possession of the university, the 
funerary objects are now considered unassociated funerary objects. The 
17 unassociated funerary objects are 13 animal rib bones (some 
fragmentary), 1 bird bone whistle, 1 large chert flake, 1 small 
unifacial chert tool and 1 drill with a broken tip.
    The site is in Rattlesnake Valley and was occupied prehistorically 
and historically by the Salish and Kootenai tribes. Additionally, a 
tribal representative has identified Missoula County, MT, as part of 
the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes traditional occupation area.
    Officials of the University of Montana have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 17 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have 
been removed from a specific burial site of a Native American. 
Officials of the University of Montana 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 Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the 
Flathead Reservation, Montana.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact John Douglas, Chair and Professor, Department of Anthropology, 
University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr., Missoula, MT 39812, telephone 
(406) 243-4246, before September 23, 2010. Repatriation of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Confederated Salish & Kootenai 
Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Montana, may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Montana is responsible for notifying the 
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, 
Montana, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 18, 2010.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20942 Filed 8-23-10; 8:45 am]
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