PROJECT ABSTRACT
Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
(Cooperative Agreement # H1200-09-0005)
Park: Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Project Title: Analysis of Faunal Collections for Identification of Human Remains from Canyon
de Chelly National Monument
Funding Amount: $26,524
CPCESU Partner Institution: Arizona State Museum and the University of Arizona
Principal Investigator (name, title, address, telephone, FAX, email): Dr. Barnet PavaoZuckerman, Arizona State Museum North Building 215, Arizona State Museum, University of
Arizona, 1013 E. University Blvd., P.O. Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721-0026 Phone: (520)
626-3989, Fax: (520) 621-2976, bpavao@email.arizona.edu
Co-Investigator (name, title, address, telephone, FAX, email): Dr. John A. McClelland,
Arizona State Museum North Building 217, Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 1013
E. University Blvd., P.O. Box 210026, Tucson, AZ 85721-0026, Phone: (520) 626-2950, Fax:
(520) 621-2976, jmcclell@email.arizona.edu
NPS Key Official (name, title, address, telephone, FAX, email): Ellen Brennan, Chief of
Cultural Resources, Navajo National Monument, HC 71 Box 3, Tonalea, AZ 86044, (928) 6722716 (office), (928) 672-2703 (fax), ellen_brennan@nps.gov.
Start Date: 9-30-09
End Date: 6-15-11
Abstract:
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is preparing a project in support of activities necessary to
meet the statutory requirements of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
(NAGPRA), including tribal consultations, publication of the Notice of Inventory Completion,
repatriation, and reburial of NAGPRA-related objects. As part of this process, the National Park
Service (hereafter, NPS, or Park), Arizona State Museum (hereafter, ASM, or Museum), and
University of Arizona (hereafter, UofA, or University) propose to examine collections of faunal
materials stored at the Western Archeological Conservation Center (WACC).
Examinations of faunal collections from other NPS areas have revealed the presence of human
remains, particularly infant bones, mixed with faunal materials. The Canyon de Chelly faunal
collection may contain as many as 15,000-17,000 bone elements and bone fragments. The NPS,
ASM, and UofA propose to examine these materials, remove objects found to be of human
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origin, and include such human remains as inventory items subject to disposition according to
NAGPRA regulations.
Keywords:
Native American, Archaeology
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