[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8740-8741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3767]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item: Peabody Museum of
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
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 a cultural item in the possession of the Peabody Museum
of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, that
meets the definition of ``unassociated funerary object'' 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 item is a coiled, cylindrical basket with black linear designs.
At an unknown date, this basket was collected by Grace Nicholson at
an unknown locality, but likely in California. It was donated to the
Peabody Museum by Lewis Farlow in 1905. Museum documentation states
that this item was ``rescued from pyral fire.'' The description of
``pyral fire'' indicates that this item was intended to be burned as
part of a funeral rite. The Peabody Museum is not in possession of the
human remains.
Museum documentation describes this item as ``probably Moquelumnan
stock.'' The term ``Moquelumnan'' was used to describe Miwok people.
Consultation evidence indicates that present-day groups which represent
Miwok people are the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of
California; California Valley Miwok Tribe, California; Chicken Ranch
Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Federated Indians of Graton
Rancheria, California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California;
Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Shingle Springs Band
of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California;
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of
California; United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of
California; and Wilton Rancheria, California.
Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the one cultural
item described above is 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 and is believed, by a preponderance of the
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of an Native
American individual. Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology also 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 unassociated funerary object and the Buena Vista
Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; California Valley Miwok
Tribe, California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of
California; Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, California; Ione
Band of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk
Indians of California; Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle
Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California; Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk
Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of California; United Auburn Indian
Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California; and Wilton Rancheria,
California.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary object should
contact Patricia Capone, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of
Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138,
telephone (617) 496-3702, before March 29, 2010. Repatriation of the
unassociated funerary object to the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk
Indians of California; California Valley Miwok Tribe, California;
Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Federated
Indians of Graton Rancheria, California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of
California; Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Shingle
Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona
Tract), California; Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne
Rancheria of California; United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn
Rancheria of California; and Wilton Rancheria, California may
[[Page 8741]]
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is responsible for
notifying the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California;
California Valley Miwok Tribe, California; Cher-Ae Heights Indian
Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, California; Chicken Ranch
Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Federated Indians of Graton
Rancheria, California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California;
Jackson Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Shingle Springs Band
of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California;
Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California;
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of
California; United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of
California; and Wilton Rancheria, California that this notice has been
published.
Dated: January 11, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-3767 Filed 2-24-10; 8:45 am]
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