[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 2, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27079]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 2, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 

Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
From Blossvale, NY, in the Possession of the Rome Historical Society, 
Rome, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d), of 
completion of the inventory of human remains from a site near 
Blossvale, NY, that are presently in the possession of the Rome 
Historical Society, Rome, NY.
    A detailed inventory and assessment of these human remains has been 
made by Historical Society curatorial staff, a contracted specialist in 
physical anthropology, and representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation 
(of New York) and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin.
    In 1958, Mr. Willard Teelin discovered the human remains along with 
some associated funerary objects following a flash flood in Fish Creek 
near Blossvale, NY. The director of the Fort Stanwix Museum, operated 
by the Rome Historical Society, identified the human remains and 
associated funerary objects as belonging to the Owasco culture. Mr. 
Teelin donated the human remains to the Rome Historical Society and 
retained possession of the associated funerary objects. Mr. Teelin's 
descendants are not aware of the whereabouts of the associated funerary 
objects. Osteological examination by Dr. Richard G. Wilkinson, 
Department of Anthropology, State University of New York-Albany, 
revealed that two individuals are represented by the human remains. The 
first individual was approximately 35-40 years old at the time of 
death. The second individual was approximately 16-20 years old at the 
time of death. Both are Native American males from the prehistoric 
period.
    Inventory of the human remains and review of the accompanying 
documentation indicates that no known individuals were identifiable. 
The Owasco culture is generally recognized in the archeological 
literature as being ancestral to the five historically known Indian 
tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, 
and Seneca. The Blossvale, NY, area in which the human remains were 
discovered is well within the historical boundaries of lands claimed as 
Oneida territory. The Oneida Indian Nation (of New York) considers 
itself to be the descendant of Native Americans who occupied central 
New York since time immemorial. Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin 
has declined to submit a claim for repatriation of these human remains.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Rome 
Historical Society have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(2), there is a relationship of shared group identity which can be 
reasonably traced between these human remains and associated funerary 
objects and the Oneida Indian Nation (of New York).
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Oneida Indian Nation 
(of New York) and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe which believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these human remains should contact Jon 
Austin, Executive Director, Rome Historical Society, 200 Church Street, 
Rome, NY 13440, telephone: (315) 336-5870, before December 2, 1994. 
Repatriation of these human remains to the Oneida Indian Nation (of New 
York) may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    Dated: October 11, 1994.
Francis P. MacManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist, Chief, Archeological Assistance 
Division.
[FR Doc. 94-27079; Filed 11-1-94; 8:45 am]
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