[Federal Register: May 28, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 103)]
[Notices]
[Page 29066]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28my99-112]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Colorado
Historical Society, Denver, CO
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9,
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated
funerary objects in the possession of the Colorado Historical Society,
Denver, CO.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Colorado
Historical Society professional staff in consultation with
representatives of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute
Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, and
the Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray Reservation.
In 1897, human remains representing one individual from western
Colorado were donated by Mrs. M.E. Crowley to the Colorado Historical
Society. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
Extant documentation indicates that this young Ute woman was slain
in 1885; and it is probable that this happened during the Beaver Creek
Massacre in June, 1885. According to historical documents and Ute oral
tradition, two Weeminuche Ute families were camped on Beaver Creek
north of Dolores, CO when they were attacked by white American
settlers; resulting in the deaths of six or seven persons, including
two women. Based on this information, this individual has been
identified as Native American of Ute tribal affiliation.
During the 1940s, human remains representing one individual came
into the possession of Arthur Sutton, the sheriff of Montrose County,
CO. The circumstances surrounding the recovery of these human remains
are not known. In 1956, Arthur Sutton donated these human remains to
the Colorado Historical Society. No known individual was identified.
The 14 associated funerary objects include fragments of a ``Kentucky''
or ``Indian'' rifle; textile fragments from a Navajo blanket and
possible ``uniform''; and a metal button.
Based on physical examinations conducted by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation in 1946 and associated funerary objects, these human
remains have been identified as Native American from the historic
period. The associated funerary objects are similar to items which have
been excavated with other known Ute graves in Colorado. Montrose
County, CO is part of the pre-1900 homeland of the present-day Ute
Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray Reservation, specifically the
Uncompahgre Band (Taveewach).
Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Colorado
Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2
(d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the physical remains
of two individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the
Colorado Historical Society have also determined that, pursuant to 43
CFR 10.2 (d)(2), the 14 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 Colorado Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 43
CFR 10.2 (e), 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 Southern Ute Indian Tribe of
the Southern Ute Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain
Reservation, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray
Reservation.
This notice has been sent to officials of the Southern Ute Indian
Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute
Mountain Reservation, and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray
Reservation. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and
associated funerary objects should contact Anne Wainstein Bond, Curator
of Material Culture, Colorado Historical Society, 1300 Broadway,
Denver, CO, 80203; telephone: (303) 866-4691, before June 28, 1999.
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to
the Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Ute
Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation, and the Ute Indian
Tribe of the Unitah and Ouray Reservation may begin after that date if
no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: May 18, 1999.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 99-13596 Filed 5-27-99; 8:45 am]
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