96-16091. Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains and Associated Funerary Objects from Nye County, NV, in the Control of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 25, 1996)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 32857]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-16091]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
    
    Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
    and Associated Funerary Objects from Nye County, NV, in the Control of 
    the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, 
    Las Vegas, NV
    
    AGENCY: National Park Service
    
    ACTION: Notice
    
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        Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
    American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 
    3003 (d), of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
    associated funerary objects in the control of the Nevada Test Site, 
    Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV.
        A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by DOE Nevada 
    Test Site professional staff and Nevada State Museum professional staff 
    in consultation with representatives of the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big 
    Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, 
    the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely 
    Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute 
    Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the 
    Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe 
    of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe. The 
    Pahrump Paiute Indian Tribe, the Las Vegas Indian Center and Owens 
    Valley Board of Trustees, three non-Federally recognized Native 
    American groups, were also consulted.
        In 1964, human remains representing one individual was donated to 
    the Nevada State Museum by Frederick C. Worman, Los Alamos Scientific 
    Laboratory. These human remains were recovered from the Pahute Mesa 
    area within the Nevada Test Site by workers at the site and turned over 
    to the Nye County Sheriff's office. No known individuals were 
    identified. The 1,318 associated funerary objects include basketry 
    fragments, a chert flake, glass seed beads, two quartz crystals, and 
    unworked bone.
        Archeological surveys on and around Pahute Mesa have identified 
    numerous archeological sites reflecting activities of Shoshone/Paiute 
    family groups. Additional ethnographic work and archeological 
    reconstructions have shown at least eight Shoshone/Paiute family groups 
    residing in the Pahute Mesa region during the late nineteenth century. 
    The basketry fragments found with the burials are consistent with other 
    Shoshone/Paiute basketry found in other archeological sites in the 
    Pahute Mesa region. Consultation with traditional religious leaders and 
    tribal representatives confirms the talus burials are a traditional 
    manner of internment. Consultation evidence presented by traditional 
    religious leaders and tribal representatives also indicates the 
    funerary objects are consistent with traditional burial practices.
        Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Nevada 
    Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy have 
    determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains 
    listed above represent the physical remains of one individual of Native 
    American ancestry. Officials of the Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations 
    Office, Department of Energy have also determined that, pursuant to 25 
    U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 1,318 objects listed 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 Nevada Test Site, Nevada Operations Office, 
    Department of Energy have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
    (2), there is a relationship of shared group identity which can be 
    reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and 
    associated funerary objects and the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big Pine 
    Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, the 
    Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely 
    Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute 
    Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the 
    Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe 
    of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe.
        This notice has been sent to officials of the Benton Paiute Tribe, 
    Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute 
    Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, 
    the Ely Shoshone Tribe, the Fort Independence Indian Community of 
    Paiute Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, 
    the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian 
    Tribe of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone 
    Tribe; and the Pahrump Paiute Tribe, the Las Vegas Indian Center, and 
    Owens Valley Board of Trustees, three Native American groups. 
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
    culturally affiliated with these human remains and associated funerary 
    objects should contact Robert C. Furlow, NAGPRA Compliance Program 
    Manager, Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office, P.O. Box 
    98518, Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518; telephone: (702) 295-0845, before July 
    25, 1996. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
    objects to the Benton Paiute Tribe, Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Bishop 
    Paiute Tribe, the Chemehuevi Paiute Tribe, the Colorado River Indian 
    Tribes, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, the Ely Shoshone Tribe, the Fort 
    Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians, the Lone Pine Paiute 
    Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, the Moapa 
    Band of Paiutes, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Timbisha Shoshone 
    Tribe, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe may begin after that date if no 
    additional claimants come forward.
    Dated: June 19, 1996.
    Francis P. McManamon,
    Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
    Chief, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
    [FR Doc. 96-16091 Filed 6-24-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/25/1996
Department:
Interior Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice
Document Number:
96-16091
Pages:
32857-32857 (1 pages)
PDF File:
96-16091.pdf