[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 68 (Monday, April 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18504-18505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8681]


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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, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    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 a string of stone beads.
    In 1900, this cultural item was collected by Alfred M. Tozzer from 
a grave at an unknown location in northern California. The cultural 
item was donated to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology by 
Professor Tozzer in 1941. Museum records indicate that the grave was 
``Maidu.'' The specific cultural attribution indicates that the 
collector was aware of the cultural affiliation of the burial, and 
suggests that it dates to historic times.
    Based on the specific cultural attribution in museum records, the 
probable historic date of the burial, and the geographical location of 
origin within a region historically associated with the Maidu, the 
cultural item is considered to be culturally affiliated with the Maidu 
Tribe. The Maidu Tribe

[[Page 18505]]

is represented by the present-day Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu 
Indians of California; the Greenville Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 
California; the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; 
the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California; Mooretown 
Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; and the Susanville Indian 
Rancheria of California.
    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 Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 
California; the Greenville Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; 
the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; the Mechoopda 
Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California; Mooretown Rancheria of 
Maidu Indians of California; and the Susanville Indian Rancheria of 
California.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Berry Creek Rancheria 
of Maidu Indians of California; the Greenville Rancheria of Maidu 
Indians of California; the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 
California; the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, California; 
Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; and the Susanville 
Indian Rancheria of California. 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) 495-2254, before May 9, 
2001. Repatriation of this unassociated funerary object to the Berry 
Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; the Greenville 
Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; the Enterprise Rancheria of 
Maidu Indians of California; the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico 
Rancheria, California; Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of 
California; and the Susanville Indian Rancheria of California may begin 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: March 21, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-8681 Filed 4-6-01; 8:45 am]
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