[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 20, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15748-15750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6849]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Peabody Museum 
of Archaeology and Ethnology, 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), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects in the 
possession of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard 
University, Cambridge, MA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and the Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1912, human remains representing 12 individuals were donated to 
the Peabody Museum by R. F. Gilder. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by R. F. 
Gilder and Frederick H. Sterns from the ``Cannibal House'' site, north 
of Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE, in 1912. That year, the remains were 
turned over to Mr. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology and were accessioned into the museum. The ``Cannibal House'' 
site was an earth lodge of the Nebraska phase (A.D. 1000-1450) of the 
Central Plains tradition. Archeological, linguistic, biological, and 
oral tradition evidence indicate a shared group identity between 
Nebraska-phase populations and the historic Arikara and Pawnee tribes. 
The Pawnee and the Arikara tribes are represented, respectively, by the 
present-day Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes 
of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.

[[Page 15749]]

    In 1912, Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology donated human remains representing 14 individuals to the 
museum. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by Mr. 
Sterns as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition and were accessioned into the museum in 1912. The remains 
came from site 25DO26, north of Florence, Douglas County, NE. The 
remains of six individuals were recovered from the excavation of an 
earth lodge designated ``Mound L1'' and the remains of eight 
individuals were collected during the excavation of an earth lodge 
designated ``Mound L3.'' Site 25DO26 was a set of earth lodges of the 
Nebraska phase (A.D. 1000-1450) of the Central Plains tradition. 
Archeological, linguistic, biological, and oral tradition evidence 
indicate a shared group identity between Nebraska-phase populations and 
the historic Arikara and Pawnee tribes. The Pawnee and the Arikara 
tribes are represented, respectively, by the present-day Pawnee Nation 
of Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1912, human remains representing two individuals were donated to 
the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology by R. F. Gilder. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by R. F. 
Gilder from the Wallace Mound site, site 25SY67, 2 miles north of 
Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE, in 1912. That year, the remains were turned 
over to Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology and were accessioned into the museum. This ``mound'' was 
actually a concentration of burials on slightly elevated ground, rather 
than a formal mound. Descriptions of artifacts found with the burials 
indicate that Wallace Mound was a mortuary site of the Nebraska phase 
(A.D. 1000-1450) of the Central Plains tradition. Archeological, 
linguistic, biological, and oral tradition evidence indicate a shared 
group identity between Nebraska-phase populations and the historic 
Arikara and Pawnee tribes. The Pawnee and the Arikara tribes are 
represented, respectively, by the present-day Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1914, Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology donated human remains representing 18 individuals from 
the Wallace Mound site to the museum. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by Mr. 
Sterns as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition and were accessioned into the museum in 1914. These remains 
were from the Wallace Mound site, Site 25SY67, 2 miles north of 
Bellevue, Sarpy County, NE. This ``mound'' was actually a concentration 
of burials on slightly elevated ground, rather than a formal mound. 
Descriptions of artifacts found with the burials indicate that Wallace 
Mound was a mortuary site of the Nebraska phase (A.D. 1000-1450) of the 
Central Plains tradition. Archeological, linguistic, biological, and 
oral tradition evidence indicate a shared group identity between 
Nebraska-phase populations and the historic Arikara and Pawnee tribes. 
The Pawnee and the Arikara tribes are represented, respectively, by the 
present-day Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes 
of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1912, Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology donated human remains representing one individual to the 
museum. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by Mr. 
Sterns as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition and were accessioned into the museum in 1912. These remains 
came from the ``Site C1,'' northern Florence, Douglas County, NE. Site 
C1 was an earth lodge of the Nebraska phase (A.D. 1000-1450) of the 
Central Plains tradition. Archeological, linguistic, biological, and 
oral tradition evidence indicate a shared group identity between 
Nebraska-phase populations and the historic Arikara and Pawnee tribes. 
The Pawnee and the Arikara tribes are represented, respectively, by the 
present-day Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes 
of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1913, Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology donated human remains representing one individual to the 
museum. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by Mr. 
Sterns as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition and were accessioned into the museum in 1913. These remains 
came from a site designated ``A. McVey,'' 5 miles northeast of Union, 
Cass County, NE. The ``A. McVey'' site was an earth lodge of the 
Nebraska phase (A.D. 1000-1450) of the Central Plains tradition. 
Archeological, linguistic, biological, and oral tradition evidence 
indicate a shared group identity between Nebraska-phase populations and 
the historic Arikara and Pawnee tribes. The Pawnee and the Arikara 
tribes are represented, respectively, by the present-day Pawnee Nation 
of Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1915, Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology donated human remains representing one individual to the 
museum. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by Mr. 
Sterns in 1914 as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition and were accessioned into the museum in 1915. These remains 
came from a site designated ``Schwenk A'' (25SY114), in Sarpy County, 
NE. The ``Schwenk A'' site was an earth lodge of the Nebraska phase 
(A.D. 1000-1450) of the Central Plains tradition. Archeological, 
linguistic, biological, and oral tradition evidence indicate a shared 
group identity between Nebraska-phase populations and the historic 
Arikara and Pawnee tribes. The Pawnee and the Arikara tribes are 
represented, respectively, by the present-day Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota.
    In 1915, Frederick H. Sterns of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology donated human remains representing three individuals to 
the museum. No known individuals were identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Museum records indicate that these remains were collected by Mr. 
Sterns in 1915 as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition and were accessioned into the museum in 1915. These remains 
came from a site designated ``Sorenson (B)'' in Douglas County, NE. The 
``Sorenson (B)'' site was an earth lodge of the Nebraska phase (A.D. 
1000-1450) of the Central Plains tradition. Archeological, linguistic, 
biological, and oral tradition evidence indicate a shared group 
identity between Nebraska-phase populations and the historic Arikara 
and Pawnee tribes. The Pawnee and the Arikara tribes are represented,

[[Page 15750]]

respectively, by the present-day Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and the 
Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota.
    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 are reasonably 
believed to be the physical remains of 52 individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology also have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there 
is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably 
traced between these human remains and the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, 
and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North 
Dakota.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Pawnee Nation of 
Oklahoma, and the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold 
Reservation, North Dakota. Representatives of any other Indian tribe 
that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human 
remains should contact Barbara Isaac, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 
02138, telephone (617) 495-2254, before April 19, 2001. Repatriation of 
the human remains to the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and the Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota may 
begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: March 2, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-6849 Filed 3-19-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F