[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 57 (Monday, March 25, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13655-13656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7013]


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

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, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion 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 officials of the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation, 
representing the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Indian Tribe (a nonfederally recognized Indian group), and 
the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation (a nonfederally recognized 
Indian group).
    In 1936, human remains representing one individual from Nantucket, 
MA, were donated to the Peabody Museum by Miss Harwood of the Nantucket 
Observatory Astronomy Laboratory. The remains were recovered by an 
unknown collector at an unknown date. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
     Osteological characteristics indicate that the individual is 
Native American. This interment most likely dates to the late Woodland 
period or later (post-A.D. 1000). Based on a compilation of 
radiocarbon-dated human remains from Nantucket by the Nantucket 
Historical Society, it is likely that these human remains are not older 
than 1,000 years. To date, no radiocarbon dates for human remains from 
Nantucket are earlier than circa A.D. 1000. According to archeological 
evidence and oral tradition, the island of Nantucket is located within 
the traditional territory of the Wampanoag Nation during the late 
Woodland period. The present-day tribes that are most closely 
affiliated with members of the Wampanoag Nation are the Wampanoag Tribe 
of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe (a 
nonfederally recognized Indian group), and the Assonet Band of the 
Wampanoag Nation (a nonfederally recognized Indian group).
    In 1941, human remains representing one individual from the Hughes 
site, Nantucket, MA, were recovered by Arthur F. Hughes. The human 
remains were donated to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
through Edward Brooks of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society the 
same year. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
     According to museum documentation, ceramic sherds, a broken bone 
awl, a bent ceramic pipe stem, and a probable Levanna-style triangular 
projectile point were found in association with the human remains, but 
are not in the possession of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology.
    These human remains were found in a traditional Native American-
style burial context, with the head oriented to the northeast and the 
face to the east. This interment most likely dates to the late Woodland 
period or later (post-A.D. 1000). Based on a compilation of 
radiocarbon-dated human remains from Nantucket by the Nantucket 
Historical Society, it is likely that these human remains are not older 
than 1,000 years. To date, no radiocarbon dates for human remains from 
Nantucket are earlier than circa A.D. 1000. Attributed dates of the 
stylistic characteristics of the funerary objects from the Hughes site 
are consistent with this radiocarbon information. Native ceramic pipes 
with bent stems are identified initially during the middle Woodland 
period (circa A.D. 1), but are most strongly associated with the late 
Woodland period and later (post-A.D. 1000) in New England. Levanna-
style projectile points date to the middle Woodland period and later in 
the New England area (post-A.D. 1). According to archeological evidence 
and oral tradition, the Hughes site is located within the traditional 
territory of the Wampanoag Nation during the late Woodland period. The 
present-day tribes that are most closely affiliated with members of the 
Wampanoag Nation are the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the 
Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe (a nonfederally recognized Indian 
group), and the Assonet Band of the

[[Page 13656]]

Wampanoag Nation (a nonfederally recognized Indian group).
    In 1956, human remains representing two individuals from Nantucket, 
MA, were donated to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology by 
the Robert S. Peabody Museum, Andover, MA. These human remains had been 
collected by Alfred Shurrocks and his wife in 1935, who then donated 
them to the Robert S. Peabody Museum. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that the human remains are 
Native American. Based on a compilation of radiocarbon-dated human 
remains from Nantucket by the Nantucket Historical Society, it is 
likely that these human remains are not older than 1,000 years. To 
date, no radiocarbon dates for human remains from Nantucket are earlier 
than circa A.D. 1000. According to archeological evidence and oral 
tradition, the island of Nantucket is located within the traditional 
territory of the Wampanoag Nation during the late Woodland period. The 
present-day tribes that are most closely affiliated with members of the 
Wampanoag Nation are the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the 
Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe (a nonfederally recognized Indian 
group), and the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation (a nonfederally 
recognized Indian group).
    In 1959, human remains representing one individual from Nantucket, 
MA, were permanently loaned to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology by the Warren Anatomical Museum at the Harvard Medical 
School. These human remains may have been collected by J.M. Warren at 
an unknown date because they are from the J.M. Warren collection, which 
was assembled by Mr. Warren himself. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that the human remains are 
Native American. This interment most likely dates to the historic/
contact period (post-A.D. 1500). The pattern of copper stains present 
on the cranial remains indicates that they were interred some time 
after European contact. Also, based on a compilation of radiocarbon-
dated human remains from Nantucket by the Nantucket Historical Society, 
it is likely that these human remains are not older than 1,000 years. 
To date, no radiocarbon dates for human remains from Nantucket result 
earlier than circa A.D. 1000. Oral tradition and historic documentation 
indicate that the island of Nantucket is within the aboriginal and 
historic homeland of the Wampanoag Nation during the late Woodland 
period. The present-day tribes that are most closely affiliated with 
members of the Wampanoag Nation are the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah), the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe (a nonfederally 
recognized Indian group), and the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation 
(a nonfederally recognized Indian group).
    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 five individuals of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 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 
Native American human remains and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah), and that there is a cultural relationship between these 
Native American human remains and the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe (a 
nonfederally recognized Indian group), and the Assonet Band of the 
Wampanoag Nation (a nonfederally recognized Indian group).
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Wampanoag 
Repatriation Confederation, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), 
the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe, and the Assonet Band of the 
Wampanoag Nation. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that 
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains 
and associated funerary object should contact Patricia Capone, 
Repatriation Coordinator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 
Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone 
(617) 496-3702, before April 24, 2002. Repatriation of these human 
remains to the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation on behalf of the 
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian 
Tribe (a nonfederally recognized Indian group), and the Assonet Band of 
the Wampanoag Nation (a nonfederally recognized Indian group), may 
begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: February 12, 2002.
Robert Stearns,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-7013 Filed 3-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-S