[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48304-48305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-24374]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items from Rhode Island 
in the Possession of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3005 (a)(2), of the intent to 
repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA which meet 
the definition of ``unassociated funerary object'' under Section 2 of 
the Act.
    The fourteen cultural items consisting of a glass bottle, glass 
beads, shell beads, wampum, two small brass kettles, copper wire, a 
copper bead, a string of wampum, metal button, a brass tube

[[Page 48305]]

with wooden core, a ceramic sherd, ochre, and a schist flake.
    In 1869, five cultural items including a glass bottle, blue glass 
and shell beads, wampum, and two small brass kettles were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by Stephen T. Grinnell, Nathan Grinnell, and W.H.H. 
Howland. These items are listed in museum records as having come from 
graves of Pocasset Indians in Tiverton, RI. The style and type of these 
items date the object to the early historic period 1524-1680 A.D.
    In 1902, two cultural items consisting of a copper bead and copper 
wire were donated to the Peabody Museum by Frank M. Whipple. These 
items are listed in museum records as having come from a grave in 
Tiverton, RI. The style of these items date to the early historic 
period, post-1524 A.D.
    Catalog records of the Peabody Museum state these items were 
recovered from graves, and the types of items are consistent with other 
funerary objects of the early historic period. Historic documentation 
and recent ethnohistoric accounts indicate the lands east of 
Narragansett Bay, including Tiverton, RI were the traditional homelands 
of the Wampanoag Bands during the early historic period. Historical 
sources describe the Pocasset as a geographic subdivision of the 
Wampanoag Tribe. Additionally, consultation evidence presented by the 
Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation illustrates the affiliation of the 
Pocasset as a subdivision of the Wampanoag Tribe.
    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), these seven 
cultural items are 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 are 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 Archeology and 
Ethnology have also 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 seven items and the Wampanoag 
Repatriation Confederation, representing the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay 
Head, the Mashpee Wampanoag (a non-Federally recognized Indian group), 
and the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation (a non-Federally 
recognized Indian group).
    In 1910, three cultural items consisting of a string of wampum and 
metal button from Pawtucket, RI; and a brass tube with a wooden core 
from Middletown, RI were purchased by the Peabody Museum as part of the 
James Eddy Mauran collection. These items are listed in museum records 
as having come from graves. The type and style of these items date to 
the early historic period or later (post- 1524 A.D.).
    In 1934, three cultural items consisting of an aboriginal ceramic 
sherd, a schist flake, and red ochre were donated to the Peabody Museum 
by Howard M. Chapin of Providence, RI. These items are listed in museum 
records as collected in 1921 and having come from a grave in 
Charlestown, RI. The type and style of these items date to the late 
precontact to early historic period (ca. 900--1554 A.D.).
    Catalog records of the Peabody Museum state these items were 
recovered from graves, and the types of items are consistent with other 
funerary objects of the late precontact to early historic period. 
Historic documentation and recent ethnohistoric accounts indicate the 
lands west of Narragansett Bay (as well as islands within the bay), 
including Pawtucket and Middletown, RI were the traditional homelands 
of the Narragansett Tribe during the late precontact and early historic 
periods.
    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), these six cultural 
items are 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 are 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 Archeology and 
Ethnology have also 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 six items and the Narragansett Indian 
Tribe.
    In 1910, three cultural items consisting of three blue glass beads 
from an unknown location within Rhode Island were purchased by the 
Peabody Museum as part of the James Eddy Mauran collection. These items 
are listed in museum records as having come from graves. The type and 
style of these items date to the early historic period or later (post- 
1524 A.D.).
    Catalog records of the Peabody Museum state these items were 
recovered from graves, and the types of items are consistent with other 
funerary objects of the late precontact to early historic period. 
Historic documentation and recent ethnohistoric accounts indicate 
traditional homelands and burial areas of the Narragansett, the 
Wampanoag, and the Nipmuc (a non-Federally recognized Indian group) are 
located within the State of Rhode Island.
    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), these three 
cultural items are 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 are 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 Archeology and 
Ethnology have also 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 three items and the Narragansett Indian 
Tribe, the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation representing the 
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, the Mashpee Wampanoag (a non-Federally 
recognized Indian group), the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation (a 
non-Federally recognized Indian group), and the Nipmuc Tribe, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Narragansett Indian 
Tribe, the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation representing the 
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, the Mashpee Wampanoag (a non-Federally 
recognized Indian group), the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation (a 
non-Federally recognized Indian group), and the Nipmuc Tribe, a non-
Federally recognized Indian group. Representatives of any other Indian 
tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these 
objects should contact Barbara Isaac, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity 
Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138; telephone (617) 495-2254 before October 
15, 1997. Repatriation of these objects to the culturally affiliated 
tribes may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
Dated: September 10, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-24374 Filed 9-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F