[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75278-75279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31933]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, IL. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Fort Peck Indian Reservation, MT, and from an unknown 
location in Montana.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of 
the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the 
Native American human remains and associated funerary objects. The 
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within 
this notice.

[[Page 75279]]

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Field Museum 
of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian 
Reservation, Montana.
    In July 1900, human remains representing a minimum of two 
individuals were removed from the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, MT. 
Field Museum of Natural History records state that anthropologist 
Stewart Culin removed the human remains from Fort Peck. In 1902, the 
human remains were transferred to the Field Museum of Natural History 
from the Free Museum of Science and Art (now the University of 
Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA) 
as part of an exchange. No known individuals were identified. The 20 
associated funerary objects are 1 bracelet (possibly bone), 3 stones, 1 
small piece of dirt or clay, 13 copper alloy bracelets, 1 leather knife 
sheath, and 1 wooden stick.
    Field Museum of Natural History staff consulted with University of 
Pennsylvania Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology staff who had no 
additional information about the human remains and associated funerary 
objects. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology records, however, indicate that Mr. Culin removed other 
human remains from a box grave outside of the Fort Peck Indian 
Reservation at the same time as the human remains and funerary objects 
held by the Field Museum of Natural History were removed.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects have been 
identified as Native American, based on the identification of Sioux 
cultural affiliation in museum records and based on identification of 
origin on the Fort Peck Reservation, MT. The physical condition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects indicates that they are 
of relatively recent historical origin. Field Museum of Natural History 
records identify the human remains as Sioux. Sioux descendents in 
Montana are represented by the present-day Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes 
of the Fort Peck Reservation, Montana.
    At an unknown time, the Field Museum of Natural History acquired 
human remains representing a minimum of one individual. No known 
individual is identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Field Museum of Natural History records identify the human remains 
as those of a ``Montana, Sioux [sic],'' indicating that the collector 
was aware of the cultural affiliation of the individual. Based on the 
specific cultural and geographic attribution in the museum records, the 
human remains are determined to be culturally affiliated with the Sioux 
tribes. Sioux descendents in Montana are represented by the present-day 
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation, Montana.
    Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains listed above 
represent the physical remains of three individuals of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 20 objects 
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. Lastly, officials of the Field Museum of 
Natural History also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(2), there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be 
reasonably traced between the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the 
Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Helen Robbins, Repatriation Specialist, Field 
Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 
60605-2496, telephone (312) 665-7317, before January 29, 2004. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, 
Montana may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    The Field Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, 
Montana that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 30, 2003.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources.
[FR Doc. 03-31933 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-50-S