2011-18359. Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, CO

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The University of Colorado Museum has completed an inventory of human remains and an associated funerary object, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary object and any present-day Indian tribe. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary object may contact the University of Colorado Museum. Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary object to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional requestors come forward.

DATES:

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a cultural affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary object should contact the University of Colorado Museum at the address below by August 22, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Steve Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, NAGPRA Consultant, Bernstein & Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone [phone].

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 and an associated funerary object in the possession of the University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, CO. The human remains and associated funerary object were removed from Weld County, CO.

This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 43 CFR 10.11(d). 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 object. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary object was made by University of Colorado Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Crow Tribe of Montana; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation, New Mexico; Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana; Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota; Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma; Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota; Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado; Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota; Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota; Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation, Utah; and Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado New Mexico & Utah (hereinafter referred to as “The Tribes”).

History and Description of the Remains

On an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one individual were removed from Maxson #1, Site No. 20, N.E. of Greeley, Kuner, Weld County, CO, by Asa C. Maxson, an avocational archeologist. In February 2008, the human remains (16 teeth) were found in the collection during an inventory/computerization project. In July 2009, an object was identified as being associated with this individual during an assessment of the human remains. Mr. Maxson of Longmont, CO, created a large archeological collection of items from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Mexico. He donated his collection to the museum in 1982. No known individual was identified. The associated funerary object is a bird of prey talon that was possibly burned.

Determinations Made by the University of Colorado Museum

Officials of the University of Colorado Museum have determined that:

• Based on heavy dental attrition at a relatively young age (18-21 years old) consistent with the introduction of grit into the food of a typical Native American diet via the use of manos and metates, the human remains are Native American.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and associated funerary object and any present-day Indian tribe.
• According to final judgments of the Indian Claims Commission, the land from which the Native American human remains and associated funerary object were removed is the aboriginal land of the Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; and Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana.
• Multiple lines of evidence, including treaties, Acts of Congress, and Executive Orders, indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains and associated funerary object were removed is the aboriginal land of the Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming, and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma.
• Other credible lines of evidence indicate that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed is the aboriginal land of the Crow Tribe of Montana.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described above represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
• Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described above is 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.
• Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the human remains and associated funerary object is to the Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; Crow Tribe of Montana; and Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary object or any other Indian tribe that believes it satisfies the criteria in 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1) should contact Steve Lekson, Curator of Anthropology, University of Colorado Museum, in care of Jan Bernstein, NAGPRA Consultant, Bernstein & Associates, 1041 Lafayette St., Denver, CO 80218, telephone [phone], before August 22, 2011. Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary object to the Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; Crow Tribe of Montana; and Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana, may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

The University of Colorado Museum is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this notice has been published.

Dated: July 14, 2011.

Sherry Hutt,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.