[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 145 (Monday, July 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41524-41525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14625]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

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 and control of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Burlington, 
Gloucester, and Mercer Counties, NJ, and Chester County, PA.
    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 in 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 in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe 
of Indians, Oklahoma (now part of the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma); and 
Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin.
    In 1878, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were recovered from Trenton, Mercer Country, NJ, during a Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology expedition led by C.C. Abbott. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    Museum documentation indicates that the human remains were 
encountered by workmen who were digging a trench at the Trenton Gas 
Works in Trenton, NJ. Osteological characteristics indicate that this 
individual is Native American. This interment most likely dates to the 
Contact or Historic period (post-A.D. 1500). Copper staining present on 
the human remains is most likely the result of shroud pin use and 
supports a date to the Contact or Historic period. Archeological 
evidence, museum documentation, and oral histories indicate that the 
human remains are from an area considered to be part of the aboriginal 
homelands and traditional burial areas of the Delaware people.
    In 1878, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were recovered from an unknown location in West Chester, Chester 
County, PA, by Jerome B. Gray, and donated to the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology by Mr. Gray later that same year. No known 
individual was identified. The one associated funerary object is a set 
of glass beads.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that this individual is 
Native American. This interment most likely dates to the Contact or 
Historic period (post-A.D. 1500). The glass beads recovered with the 
human remains support a post-Contact date. Archeological evidence, 
museum documentation, and oral histories indicate that the human 
remains are from an area considered to be part of the aboriginal 
homelands and traditional burial areas of the Delaware people.
    In 1879, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were recovered from an unknown location in West Chester, Chester 
County, PA, by Isaac S. Kirk during a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology expedition led by C.C. Abbott. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that this individual is 
Native American with possible mixed ancestry. This interment dates to 
the Contact or Historic period (post-A.D. 1500). Archeological 
evidence, museum documentation, and oral histories indicate that the 
human remains are from an area considered to be part of the aboriginal 
homelands and traditional burial areas of the Delaware people.
    In 1879, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were recovered from an unknown location in Burlington County, NJ, by 
Michael Newbold during a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition led by C.C. Abbott. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that this individual is 
Native American. This interment most likely dates to the Contact or 
Historic period (post-A.D. 1500). Copper staining present on the human 
remains is most likely the result of shroud pin use and supports a date 
to the Contact or Historic period. Archeological evidence, museum 
documentation, and oral histories indicate that the human remains are 
from an area considered to be part of the aboriginal homelands and 
traditional burial areas of the Delaware people.
    In 1879, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were recovered from an unknown location in Gloucester County, NJ, by 
William Klingbeil during a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition led by C.C. Abbott. No known individual was identified. The 
one associated funerary object is a stone platform human effigy pipe.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that this individual is 
Native American. This interment most likely dates to the Contact or 
Historic period (post-A.D. 1500). Anthropomorphic effigy pipes, such as 
the one recovered from this interment, are most closely associated with 
proto-Contact and later time periods in this area. In addition, copper 
staining present on the human remains is most likely the result of 
shroud pin use and supports a date to the Contact or Historic period. 
Archeological evidence, museum documentation, and oral histories 
indicate that the human remains are from an area considered to be part 
of the aboriginal homelands and traditional burial areas of the 
Delaware people.
    In 1894, human remains representing a minimum of six individuals 
were recovered from the Lalor Field site in Trenton, Mercer County, NJ, 
by Ernest Volk during a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
expedition led by Mr. Volk. No known individuals were identified. The 
five associated funerary objects, which were accessioned into the 
museum's collection in 1952, are one animal mandible with teeth, one 
notched stone, and three stone implements.

[[Page 41525]]

    Osteological characteristics indicate that these individuals are 
Native American. The interments most likely date to the Middle to Late 
Woodland periods (A.D. 0 - 1500). Artifacts recovered from the grave 
fill but not associated with the human remains, including lithic flakes 
and ceramic sherds, support this date. Archeological evidence, museum 
documentation, and oral histories indicate that the human remains are 
from an area considered to be part of the aboriginal homelands and 
traditional burial areas of the Delaware people.
    Between 1894 and 1895, human remains representing a minimum of 
seven individuals were recovered from the Lalor Field site in Trenton, 
Mercer County, NJ, by Ernest Volk during a Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology expedition led by Mr. Volk. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object is a 
stone gorget.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that these individuals are 
Native American. The interments most likely date to the Middle to Late 
Woodland periods (A.D. 0 - 1500). The polished stone gorget associated 
with the human remains, as well as artifacts recovered from the grave 
fill, supports this date. Archeological evidence, museum documentation, 
and oral histories indicate that the human remains are from an area 
considered to be part of the aboriginal homelands and traditional 
burial areas of the Delaware people.
    In 1909, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were recovered from the A.K. Rowan Farm site in Trenton, Mercer County, 
NJ, by Ernest Volk and R.E. Merwin during a Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology expedition led by Mr. Volk and Mr. Merwin. No 
known individual was identified. The eight associated funerary objects 
are five sets of shell and glass beads, one copper box containing 
vegetable fiber, one lot of woven fabric, and one lot of hide fragments 
with metal oxidation.
    Osteological characteristics indicate that this individual is 
Native American. This interment most likely dates to the Contact or 
Historic period (post-A.D. 1500) and the associated funerary objects 
recovered with the human remains support this date. In addition, copper 
staining present on the human remains is most likely the result of 
shroud pin use and supports a date to the Contact or Historic period. 
Archeological evidence, museum documentation, and oral histories 
indicate that the human remains are from an area considered to be part 
of the aboriginal homelands and traditional burial areas of the 
Delaware people.
    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of 19 individuals of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology also have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 16 objects described 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 Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
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 Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma, on behalf of the Delaware 
Tribe of Indians; and Delaware Nation, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects 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 
August 29, 2007. Repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects to the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma, on behalf of the 
Delaware Tribe of Indians; and Delaware Nation, Oklahoma may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is responsible for 
notifying the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; and 
Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: June 27, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-14625 Filed 7-27-07; 8:45 am]
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