[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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