[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52013-52014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20951]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Field Museum of
Natural History, Chicago, IL
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. 3005, of the intent
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Field Museum of
Natural History (Field Museum), Chicago, IL, that meet the definition
of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
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 cultural
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
The 12 cultural items are 1 stone pestle, 1 camas digging stick
handle, 2 bone awls, 2 triangular points, 4 arrow points, 1 stone point
or knife, and 1 obsidian point or knife. In 1901, Dr. Merton Miller
removed the 12 cultural items from locations along the Columbia Rim or
the banks of the Columbia River, near Umatilla, OR, for the Field
Museum of Natural History. The items were accessioned into the
collections of the Field Museum of Natural History that same year.
According to Field Museum of Natural History records, the stone
pestle was a surface find, collected along the Columbia River at
Umatilla. The stone pestle (Field Museum catalog number 69202) consists
of a stone nipple top maul with red ocher on the surface, and measures
16.3 cm x 5.8 cm.
According to museum records, the camas digging stick handle was
removed from a Native American grave located along the Columbia Rim at
Umatilla. The camas digging stick handle (Field Museum catalog number
69267) is most likely made from elk antler, and measures 26.6 cm x 4.3
cm.
According to museum records, the two triangular flint points, four
stone arrow points, two bone awls, stone point or knife, and obsidian
point or knife were each removed from Native American graves located
along the Columbia River at Umatilla. None of the associated human
remains are in the control or possession of the Field Museum of Natural
History. The two triangular points are made of flint (Field Museum
catalog number 69273.1 and 69273.2). The first point measures 5.3 cm x
3.5 cm and the second point measures 3.3 cm x 2.6 cm. The four arrow
points (Field Museum catalog number 69274) are made of stone, two are
stemmed and the remaining two have side notching. The stemmed arrow
points measure 2.4 cm x 1.3 cm and 2.4 cm x 1.6 cm. The side notched
arrow points measure 2.5 cm x 1.4 cm and 2.7 cm x 1.2 cm. One bone awl
(Field Museum catalog number 69275) is bleached and has a broken tip,
and measures 14.8 cm x 2.5 cm. The second awl (Field Museum catalog
number 69277) is made of highly polished bone, and measures 13.1 cm x
.4 cm. The stone point or knife (Field Museum catalog number 69278) has
slightly rounded edges, and measures 8.8 cm x 3.4 cm. The obsidian
point or knife (Field Museum catalog number 69279) has slightly curving
sides and a notched base, and measures 7.1 cm x 2.6 cm.
The cultural affiliation of the cultural items is to the Umatilla,
as indicated through museum records, scholarly publications, and
consultation information provided by representatives of the
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington;
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon;
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon;
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez
Perce Tribe, Idaho; and the Wanapum Band, a non-federally recognized
Indian group.
Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History have determined
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 12 cultural items 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 a
death rite or ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance of the
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native
American individual. Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a
relationship of shared
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group identity that can be reasonably traced between the unassociated
funerary objects and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, Oregon.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should
contact Helen Robbins, Repatriation Director, Field Museum of Natural
History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605, telephone (312)
665-7317, before September 23, 2010. Repatriation of the unassociated
funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, Oregon, may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The Field Museum is responsible for notifying the Confederated
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands of
the Yakama Nation, Washington; and the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho, that
this notice has been published.
Dated: August 18, 2010.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20951 Filed 8-23-10; 8:45 am]
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