[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52016-52017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20941]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, Austin, TX
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. 3003, of the
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary
objects in the control of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
Austin, TX. The human remains and associated funerary objects were
removed from El Paso County, TX.
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 and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department professional staff in consultation with
representatives of the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of
Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New
Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of
Texas.
In 1972, human remains representing a minimum of four individuals
were removed from House 2, Hueco Tanks Village, Hueco Tanks State Park
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, during an archeological
excavation. The excavation was done under the direction of George
Kegley, archeologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The human
remains were inventoried as Burials 1 to 4. No known individuals were
identified. The nine associated funerary objects are one bone awl,
three bags of debitage, three bags of ceramic shreds, one piece of
adobe-like material and one rock.
Based on the burial context and their association with House 2 at
Hueco Tanks Village, archeological evidence indicates that they are
Native American and were probably interred during the Do[ntilde]a Ana
phase, between A.D. 1000 and 1300.
In August 1979, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site,
El Paso County, TX. The human remains were found partially exposed by
park visitors. Later that same month, the remains were removed by
George Kegley, archeologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The
human remains were inventoried as ``Burial 5.'' No known individual was
identified. The 21 associated funerary objects are 7 pottery sherds, 1
obsidian projectile point, 9 chipped stone debitage and 4 rocks.
The ceramics recovered from the sediment around the burial indicate
to archeologists that this grave dates to the Formative period (A.D.
200 to 1450), even though it includes a Late Archaic dart point.
In May 1982, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were removed from the wall of a deep arroyo, Hueco Tanks State Park and
Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by a park visitor. The human remains
were inventoried as ``Burial 6.'' No known individual was identified.
The two associated funerary objects are one projectile point and one
lot of sherds.
The point was found in the rib area of the individual and the El
Paso Brownware sherds were recovered from sediment above the grave,
therefore, archeologists date the grave to the Archaic period (6000
B.C. to A.D. 200) or the Formative period (A.D. 200 to 1450) (Ralph
1997:105, 107).
In July 1982, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from the wall of a deep arroyo, Hueco Tanks
State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by Ron Ralph. The
human remains were inventoried as ``Burial 7.'' No known individual was
identified. The 10 associated funerary objects are 7
[[Page 52017]]
chipped stone flakes, 2 sherds and 1 lead shotgun pellet.
Artifacts in the sediment around the burial indicate that this
grave dates to the Formative period, between A.D. 200 and 1450. The
shotgun pellet was probably introduced into sediments around the burial
accidentally in recent times, but is considered to be a funerary object
based on tribal consultation.
In November 1991, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from a narrow ledge in Hueco Tanks State Park
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by rock climbers. No known
individual was identified. The human remains were inventoried as
``Burial 8.'' The 54 associated funerary objects are 9 shell disk beads
and 1 pot, which contains 44 shell beads.
The type of vessel is known as a culinary shoe pot, and American
Southwest archeologists generally date these vessels between A.D. 1250
and 1700. Similar cooking pots continue to be used today by native
groups in Central and South America (Dixon 1963:594-596, 606).
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from locality CA7, in Hueco Tanks State Park
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by a park visitor. The human
remains were inventoried as ``Burial 9.'' No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from locality ES3, in Hueco Tanks State Park
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX, by park staff. The human remains
were inventoried as ``Burial 10.'' No known individual was identified.
No associated funerary objects are present.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from House 3, Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco
Tanks State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human
remains were inventoried as ``Burial 11.'' The burial dates to the
Do[ntilde]a Ana phase (A.D. 1000 to 1300). No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from House 4, Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco
Tanks State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human
remains were inventoried as ``Burial 12.'' The burial dates to the
Do[ntilde]a Ana phase (A.D. 1000 to 1300). No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco Tanks State Park
and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human remains were
inventoried as ``Burial 13.'' No known individual was identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from the Hueco Tanks Village, in Hueco Tanks
State Park and Historic Site, El Paso County, TX. The human remains
were inventoried as ``Burial 14.'' Burial 14 has no specific
provenience, but it was likely removed from the Hueco Tanks Village
site since it was found in the site collection. No known individual was
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were removed from Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site,
El Paso County, TX. The human remains were inventoried as ``Burial
15.'' Burial 15 has no specific provenience, but was found in the site
collection. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
The human remains and associated funerary objects described above
are culturally affiliated with the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero
Reservation, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas. The determination of the cultural affiliation
of the human remains and associated funerary objects described above
was based upon oral tradition, archeological context, osteological
evidence, and artifacts. In addition, primary information sources, such
as accession and catalog records and consultation with Indian tribal
officials and traditional religious leaders, support this finding of
cultural affiliation.
Officials of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains
described above represent the physical remains of 15 individuals of
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A),
the 96 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. Lastly, officials of the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 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 Native American human remains
and associated funerary objects and the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma;
Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero
Reservation, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary
objects should contact Aina Dodge, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, telephone (512) 389-4876,
before September 23, 2010. Repatriation of the human remains and/or
associated funerary objects to the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero
Reservation, New Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta
Del Sur Pueblo of Texas, may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for
notifying the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian Tribe of
Oklahoma; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New
Mexico; Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico; and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo of
Texas, that this notice has been published.
Dated: August 18, 2010.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20941 Filed 8-23-10; 8:45 am]
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