[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 130 (Monday, July 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45145-45146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17091]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of 
Connecticut, Storrs, CT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with the Native American 
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), 
of the intent to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the 
Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, University of Connecticut 
that meet the definition of ``unassociated funerary objects'' 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 these 
cultural items.

[[Page 45146]]

 The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations 
within this notice.
    The 10 cultural items are a string of clamshell wampum beads, a 
brass arrow point, three stone pestles, an iron trade hatchet, an iron 
spike, a brass trade cooking pan, a brass trade kettle, and a brass 
button.
    In 1942, these cultural items were removed during excavations 
related to a home lot development project from in Mystic, CT, and were 
sold by the property owner, Mr. Al Kowsz, to Mr. Norris L. Bull 
sometime thereafter. In 1963, the family of Norris L. Bull donated the 
cultural items to the University of Connecticut; the items were held by 
the Department of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut until 
1994, when they were accessioned by the Connecticut State Museum of 
Natural History. Museum records indicate that the cultural items were 
found with the human remains of five Native American individuals. The 
Connecticut State Museum of Natural History is not in possession of the 
human remains from these burials.
    Based on geographic and historical evidence, the area in which the 
burials were located coincides with the aboriginal territory of the 
Pequot Indians, and lies in close proximity to the site of the Pequot 
Fort attacked by John Mason in 1637. The stylistic attributes of the 
burial goods are consistent with a 17th century date for the burials. 
Members of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Connecticut are the direct 
descendants of the Pequot Indians.
     Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the 
Connecticut State Museum of Natural History have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2)(ii), the 10 cultural items 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to 
have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native American 
individual. Officials of the Connecticut State Museum of Natural 
History 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 unassociated funerary objects and the Mashantucket 
Pequot Tribe of Connecticut.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Mashantucket Pequot 
Tribe of Connecticut and the Mohegan Indian Tribe of Connecticut. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Nicholas F. Bellantoni, Connecticut State Archaeologist, Office 
of State Archaeology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-4214, 
telephone (860) 486-5248 before August 7, 2002. Repatriation of these 
unassociated funerary objects to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of 
Connecticut may begin after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.

    Dated: March 20, 2002.
Robert Stearns,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-17091 Filed 7-5-02 8:45 am]
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