Federal Register / Vol. 60 No. 74 / Tuesday, April 18, 1995 /
Notices Page 19408
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Control of the Ojai Valley
Historical Society and Museum, Ojai, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior
ACTION: Notice
_________________________________________________________________
Notice if hereby given under provisions of the Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d), of
the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated
funerary objects from the site designated CA-Ven 132 and
currently in the control of the Ojai Valley Historical Society
and Museum.
A detailed inventory and assessment of the human remains and
associated funerary objects has been made by the staff of the
Ojai Valley Historical Society and Museum in consultation with
representatives of the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians.
The human remains consist of a minimum of 180 individuals. There
are also 12,118 funerary objects, including shell, stone, and
trade beads and pendants; projectile points; crystals; stone
bowls; scrapers; fish hooks; copper pitcher; bone, wooden, and
metal awls; square iron nails; shark's teeth; metal bowl
fragments; stone balls; clay tiles; and pestle and mortars. The
human remains and associated funerary objects were excavated in
1969 by Robert O. Browne at CA-Ven 132 (Awhay village site),
located on private property near Ojai, CA. The human remains and
associated funerary objects were accessioned into the collections
of the Ojai Valley Museum that same year. CA-Ven 132 has been
identified as Awhay, a Chumash village occupied during the
historic period. All archeological evidence indicates that these
human remains and associated funerary objects were interred
during this historic period occupation of the site. 11,599 of
the objects were shell, stone and trade beads believed to be
parts of necklaces and bracelets or other objects of personal
adornment placed with the remains. Mortuary practices documented
by Mr. Browne are consistent with those used by the Chumash tribe
during the historic period. Genealogical evidence shows that
families from the Awhay village site relocated to the Santa Inez
Mission during the Spanish period and are presently members of
the Santa Inez Band of Mission Indians.
Inventory of the human remains and review of the accompanying
documentation indicate that no known individuals were
identifiable. Based on the above information, officials of the
Ojai Valley Historical Society and Museum 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 human
remains and associated funerary objects and the Santa Ynez Band
of Mission Indians. Further, officials of the Ojai Valley
Historical Society and Museum 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 human
remains and associated funerary objects and the present-day Santa
Ynez Band of Mission Indians.
At the request of the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians, the
Ojai Valley Historical Society and Museum has transferred these
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Repository
for Archaeological and Ethnographic Collections (RAEC),
Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa
Barbara, CA. The RAEC has accepted this collection for curation
under the condition that the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians
retains control of this collection.
This notice has been sent to officials of the Santa Ynez Band of
Mission Indians. Representatives of any other Indian tribe which
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human
remains and associated funerary objects should contact Mary K.
Porter, Curator, Ojai Valley Historical Society and Museum, P.O.
Box 204, Ojai, CA 93024, telephone (805) 646-0445 before May 18,
1995. Repatriation of these human remains and associated
funerary objects to the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians may
begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: April 7, 1995
Francis P. McManamon
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Chief, Archeological Assistance Division
[FR Doc. 95-9491; Filed 04/17/95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
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