[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16492-16493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7383]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Repatriate a Cultural Item in the Possession 
of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 
Cambridge, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to repatriate 
a cultural item in the possession of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology 
and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, that meets the 
definition of ``unassociated funerary object'' under Section 2 of the 
Act.
    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 this 
cultural item. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    The one cultural item is an iron earring.
    Between 1880-1890, this cultural item was recovered from a grave 
about 8 miles from Throckmorton, Throckmorton County, TX, by relatives 
of Watson Grant Cutter. In 1967, Mr. Cutter gifted this cultural item 
to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.
    Museum records indicate that this cultural item was recovered from 
a Comanche grave located 8 miles from Throckmorton, Thockmorton County, 
TX. Based on the specific cultural affiliation described by the 
collector as well as the description of the burial context, this burial 
was most likely a Comanche burial from the historic period. 
Consultation with representatives of the Comanche Indian Tribe, 
Oklahoma identifies Throckmorton County, TX, as part of Comanche 
traditional territory during the historic period.
    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)(2)(ii), this cultural item is 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 is 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 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 this unassociated 
funerary object and the Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma. This notice 
has been sent to officials of the Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with this unassociated funerary object should 
contact Barbara Isaac, Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, 
telephone (617)

[[Page 16493]]

495-2254, before April 25, 2001. Repatriation of this unassociated 
funerary object to the Comanche Indian Tribe, Oklahoma may begin after 
that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: March 12, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-7383 Filed 3-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F