2024-11089. Notice of Inventory Completion: Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, and Arizona Capitol Museum, Phoenix, AZ

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona (ASM) and the Arizona Capitol Museum have completed an inventory of human remains and have determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes in this notice.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or after June 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Cristin Lucas, Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

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 ASM and Arizona Capitol Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

Based on the information available, human remains representing, at least, two individuals have been reasonably identified. On an indeterminate date circa 1976, human remains represented by cranial elements were brought to the Arizona State Library in Phoenix, AZ under unknown circumstances. The Arizona State Library retained the human remains until 1982 when they were accessioned into collections at the Arizona Capitol Museum after its opening in 1981. In 2023, the ASM accepted temporary custody of the remains to facilitate repatriation on behalf of the Arizona Capitol Museum. No known provenience is available for the human remains; however, it is reasonably presumed the individuals originated from an Arizona location based on the acquisition history. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Cultural Affiliation

Based on the information available and the results of consultation, cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical location or acquisition history of the human remains described in this notice.

Determinations

The ASM and Arizona Capitol Museum have determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native American ancestry.
• There is a reasonable connection between the human remains described in this notice and the Ak-Chin Indian Community; Cocopah Tribe of Arizona; Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona and California; Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona; Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, California & Nevada; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Hualapai Indian Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona; Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona; Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah; Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona; Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California & Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona; Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe; and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains 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 identified in this notice.

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 a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.

Repatriation of the human remains in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after June 20, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the ASM and Arizona Capitol Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and not competing requests. The ASM and Arizona Capitol Museum are responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.

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

Dated: May 9, 2024.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.