[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 7 (Monday, January 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1873-1874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-661]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects from Maine in the Possession of the 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 
Cambridge, MA

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 (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 
3003 (d), of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects from Maine in the possession of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Aroostook Band of Micmac Indians, the 
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe, and 
the Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1919, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by Arlo and Oric Bates. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum information indicates these human remains were collected by 
the donors from a shellheap on State Island, Frenchman Bay, Gouldsboro, 
ME. Other material culture recovered at this site indicates it has an 
Etchemin occupation dating to the late precontact period (1350-1600 
A.D.). Historical documents and continuities of Etchemin material 
culture indicate the Etchemin groups in this particular area are an 
ancestral culture to both the present day Penobscot Indian Nation and 
the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have determined that, pursuant to 
43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 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 Native American human remains and the Penobscot Indian 
Nation and the Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe.
    In 1878, human remains representing three individuals were 
recovered from a shell heap at Oak Point, Great Deer Island, ME by 
Manly Hardy during excavations conducted by a Peabody Museum 
expedition. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Based on material culture, the Oak Point site has been identified 
as having an Etchemin occupation dating to the late precontact period 
(1050-1600 A.D.). Further, historical documents and continuities of 
Etchemin material culture indicate that Etchemin groups are an 
ancestral culture in this particular region to the present day 
Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1882, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by James E. Knowlton. These remains are recorded in 
museum records as having come from Tatman's or Taplan's [Tappan's] 
Island on the Damariscotta River, ME and were collected by Fellows S. 
Knowlton. No known individual was identified. The nine associated 
funerary objects are ceramic sherds.
    Based on the associated funerary objects, this site has been 
identified as having an Etchemin occupation dating to the late 
precontact period (1050-1600 A.D.). Further, historical documents and 
continuities of Etchemin material culture indicate that Etchemin groups 
are an ancestral culture in this particular region to the present day 
Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1885, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by James E. Knowlton. These remains are recorded as 
having come from a shell heap on

[[Page 1874]]

Friendship Long Island, ME and were collected by W.W. Knowlton. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Based on material culture, this Friendship Long Island site has 
been identified as having an Etchemin occupation during the late 
precontact period (1050-1600 A.D.). Historical documents and 
continuities of Etchemin material culture in this particular region 
indicate the Etchemin are an ancestral culture to the present day 
Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1886, human remains representing two individuals were recovered 
from the Whaleback Shell Mound, Damariscotta, ME by Abram T. Gamage 
during excavations conducted by a Peabody Museum expedition. No known 
individuals were identified. The six associated funerary objects 
consist of brass or copper beads.
    Based on the associated funerary objects, these individuals have 
been determined to be Native American from the early contact period 
(post 1600 A.D.). The Whaleback Shell Mound is located within the 
historically documented territory of the Etchemin, a culture ancestral 
to the present day Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1916, human remains representing one individual were acquired by 
the Peabody Museum as part of an exchange with the Warren Anatomical 
Museum, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum documentation lists the origin of these human remains as 
``Penobscot Indian, Eastern Woodlands.''
    In 1916, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by The Boston Society of Natural History. Collection 
information indicates these human remains came from Maine and were 
collected in 1861 by Dr. J.F.W. Lane. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum documentation describes these human remains as ``Penobscot 
Indian * * *''.
    In 1919, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by Arlo and Oric Bates who had removed the human 
remains from a shell heap on Ames Point (now known as the Crocker 
site), North Haven, ME at an earlier date. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on material culture, the Crocker site has been identified as 
having an Etchemin occupation dating to the late precontact period 
(1050-1700 A.D.). Historical documents and continuities of Etchemin 
material culture indicate that Etchemin groups in this particular area 
are the ancestral culture to the present day Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1956, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by the R.S. Peabody Foundation, Andover, MA. These 
human remains were originally collected by Dexter W. Hodgdon, Jr. from 
Indian Town Island, Boothbay Harbor, ME. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Based on material culture, Indian Town Island has been identified 
as having an Etchemin occupation from the late precontact period (1050-
1600 A.D.). Historical documents and continuities of Etchemin material 
culture indicate the Etchemin in this particular area are the ancestral 
culture to the present day Penobscot Indian Nation.
    In 1959, human remains representing one individual were acquired on 
permanent loan by the Peabody Museum from the Warren Anatomical Museum, 
Harvard Medical School, Harvard University. The Warren Anatomical 
Museum has authorized the Peabody Museum to proceed with the 
disposition of these human remains according to NAGPRA. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum documentation lists the location of the recovery of these 
human remains as Tappan's Island, Damariscotta River, ME; and further 
describes these remains as ``Monhegan Indian.'' Additional 
documentation notes that the recovery site is a ``Formerly celebrated 
burial place, but not used in the past 200 years.'' Known material 
culture recovered from Tappan's Island indicates both late precontact 
and historic components dating to 1050-1750 A.D. representing Etchemin 
and Penobscot occupations. Historical documents and continuities of 
Etchemin material culture indicate that Etchemin groups in this 
particular area an ancestral culture to the present day Penobscot 
Indian Nation.
    In 1967, human remains representing one individual were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by Mr. Guy Mellgren of Hingham, MA. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum documentation indicates Mr. Mellgren collected these human 
remains from the Goddard site, Naskeag Point, Brooklin, ME. Based on a 
human collagen radiocarbon date of 679 +/- 59 BP, this individual is 
from the late precontact period. This date and the location of the 
Goddard site indicate this individual is most likely affiliated with 
the Etchemin culture. Historical documents and continuities of Etchemin 
material culture indicate that Etchemin groups in this particular area 
an ancestral culture to the present day Penobscot Indian Nation.
    Based on morphological evidence, including aspects of cranio-facial 
and dental morphology, all human remains listed above have been 
determined to be Native American.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have determined that, pursuant to 
43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the 
physical remains of 13 individuals of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have also 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 15 objects 
listed above 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. Lastly, officials of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology 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 Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Penobscot Indian Nation.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Aroostook Band of 
Micmac Indians, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Passamaquoddy 
Indian Tribe, and the Penobscot Indian Nation. Representatives of any 
other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with these human remains and associated funerary objects should contact 
Barbara Issac, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 
02138; telephone: (617) 495-2254, before February 11, 1998. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the culturally affiliated tribes may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations 
within this notice.
Dated: December 29, 1997.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 98-661 Filed 1-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F