[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48291-48292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22776]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard 
University, Boston, 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. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession and 
control of the Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard University, Boston, 
MA. The human remains were removed from Martha's Vineyard, Dukes 
County, MA.
    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 Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and Warren Anatomical Museum 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Tribe, Massachusetts; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) 
of Massachusetts; and Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group.
    At an unknown date before 1870, human remains representing a 
minimum of one individual were removed probably from Martha's Vineyard, 
Dukes County, MA, by an unknown individual. The human remains were 
donated to the Warren Anatomical Museum on an unknown date before 1870, 
and are part of the J. Mason Warren Collection. Specimen labels 
describe the individual as being from ``Martha's Vineyard'' and ``From

[[Page 48292]]

an Indian burial place/Martha's Vineyard.'' No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    This burial is described in museum sources as being in an ``erect 
posture.'' An extended or erect burial posture is characteristic of 
post-contact burial practices in the Martha's Vineyard area. Therefore, 
this interment most likely dates to the Historic/Contact Period (post 
500 BP). During this period, the geographic area from which these human 
remains came is within the area considered to be Wampanoag aboriginal 
homelands according to historic documentation and Wampanoag NAGPRA 
representatives. Descendants of the Wampanoag are members of the 
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, Massachusetts; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah) of Massachusetts; and Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation, 
a non-Federally recognized Indian group.
    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and 
Warren Anatomical Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (9-10), the human remains described above represent the physical 
remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and Warren Anatomical 
Museum 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 Native American human remains and the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Tribe, Massachusetts; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) 
of Massachusetts; and Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Patricia 
Capone, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, 
telephone (617) 496-2047, before October 22, 2009. Repatriation of the 
human remains to the Wampanoag Confederation representing the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Tribe, Massachusetts; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) 
of Massachusetts; and Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group, may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University 
is responsible for notifying the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, 
Massachusetts; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) of Massachusetts; 
and Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation, a non-Federally recognized 
Indian group, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 1, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-22776 Filed 9-21-09; 8:45 am]
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