[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