[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 101 (Friday, May 23, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30152-30153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11570]


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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 
object in the possession of the Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, IL. The human remains and associated funerary object were 
removed from New York State.
    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 object. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Field Museum 
of

[[Page 30153]]

Natural History professional staff in consultation with representatives 
of the Cayuga Nation of New York; Oneida Nation of New York; Oneida 
Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin; Onondaga Nation of New York; Seneca 
Nation of New York; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma; Saint Regis Mohawk 
Tribe, New York (formerly the St. Regis Band of Mohawk Indians of New 
York); Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York; and Tuscarora 
Nation of New York.
    At an unknown date prior to 1891, human remains representing a 
minimum of seven individuals were removed from unidentified locations 
in New York State. Three individuals represented by Field Museum of 
Natural History catalog numbers 41800 and 41803 were removed by F.M. 
Noe from ``New York'' and ``northern New York.'' Mr. Noe was a 
collector and dealer of natural history specimens and Native American 
``relics.'' His correspondence specifically identifies the human 
remains as Iroquois. Mr. Noe sold the human remains to Franz Boas. The 
other four individuals represented by Field Museum of Natural History 
catalog numbers 41804 and 41805 were removed from ``northern New York'' 
probably by Mr. Boas. Mr. Boas then sold all seven sets of human 
remains to the Field Museum of Natural History in 1894. No known 
individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object 
consists of one small fragment of yellow ochre.
    All of the human remains were removed from sites in New York State. 
Based on the conditions of the skeletal elements and Mr. Noe's 
correspondence, the human remains date to the historic period. The 
human remains have been identified as Native American based on 
craniometric analysis, and the specific cultural and geographic 
attribution in Field Museum of Natural History records. All seven 
individuals were identified as ``Iroquois'' in Mr. Noe's and Mr. Boas's 
notes. Descendants of the Iroquois are the Cayuga Nation of New York; 
Oneida Nation of New York; Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin; 
Onondaga Nation of New York; Seneca Nation of New York; Seneca-Cayuga 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, New York; Tonawanda Band 
of Seneca Indians of New York; and Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of seven 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 one 
object described above 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. Officials of the Field Museum of Natural 
History 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 
object and the Cayuga Nation of New York; Oneida Nation of New York; 
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin; Onondaga Nation of New York; 
Seneca Nation of New York; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma; Saint Regis 
Mohawk Tribe, New York; Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York; 
and Tuscarora Nation of New York.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
object should contact Helen Robbins, Director of Repatriation, Field 
Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 
60605-2496, telephone (312) 665-7317, before June 23, 2008. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary object to the 
Cayuga Nation of New York; Oneida Nation of New York; Oneida Tribe of 
Indians of Wisconsin; Onondaga Nation of New York; Seneca Nation of New 
York; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma; Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, New 
York; Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York; and Tuscarora 
Nation of New York may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Field Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Cayuga Nation of New York; Oneida Nation of New York; Oneida Tribe 
of Indians of Wisconsin; Onondaga Nation of New York; Seneca Nation of 
New York; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma; Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, 
New York; Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians of New York; and Tuscarora 
Nation of New York that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 23, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-11570 Filed 5-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S