[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-31224]


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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 in the possession of the 
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL. The human remains were 
removed from the Channel Islands in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles 
Counties, CA.
    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. 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 Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of 
the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
    On an unknown date, human remains were removed from San Miguel 
Island, Santa Barbara County, CA. In 1893, human remains representing a 
minimum of six individuals from that removal were purchased by the 
Field Museum of Natural History from Ward's Natural Science 
Establishment of Rochester, NY (Field Museum of Natural History catalog 
numbers 42700-42703, accession number 407). The human remains were 
accessioned into the Field Museum of Natural History the same year. No 
known individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    On an unknown date, human remains were removed from San Miguel 
Island, Santa Barbara County, CA. In 1894, the Field Museum of Natural 
History purchased human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual from that removal from Franz Boas (Field Museum of Natural 
History catalog number 42704, accession number 68). The human remains 
were accessioned into the Field Museum of Natural History the same 
year. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1897, human remains were removed from San Nicolas Island, Santa 
Barbara County, CA, by A.B. Chappell. Later that year, the Field Museum 
of Natural History purchased human remains representing a minimum of 
one individual from that removal from A.B. Chappell (Field Museum of 
Natural History catalog number 42705, accession number 522). The human 
remains were accessioned into the Field Museum of Natural History the 
same year. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1904, F.H. Sellers donated human remains representing a minimum 
number of two individuals to the Field Museum of Natural History (Field 
Museum of Natural History catalog numbers 42715 and 42716, accession 
number 867). The human remains were accessioned into the Field Museum 
of Natural History the same year. Field Museum records indicate the 
locality of removal as ``Probably Channel Isl., California.'' No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1932, the Field Museum of Natural History received human remains 
representing a minimum number of one individual as part of an exchange 
with Byron Knoblock (Field Museum of Natural History catalog number 
42860, accession 1964). Field Museum records indicate that the human 
remains came from Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County, CA. No 
known individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    At an unknown date, the Field Museum of Natural History acquired 
human remains representing a minimum of three individuals from Santa 
Catalina Island, Los Angeles County, CA, from an unknown source (Field 
Museum of Natural History catalog number 42706, accession 3910). In 
1995, the human remains were located in the collections of the Field 
Museum of Natural History and were accessioned the same year. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    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. Archeological 
investigations have identified a cultural continuity for the Chumash 
Indians that traces their presence on the northern Channel Islands back 
7,000 to 9,000 years. Geographical, archeological, and oral history 
evidence indicate a shared group identity between these human remains 
from San Miguel, San Nicolas, and Santa Catalina Islands and the Santa 
Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, 
California, the present-day tribe most closely associated with the 
prehistoric and historic Chumash Indians.
    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 are reasonably believed to be the physical remains of 14 
individuals of Native American ancestry. 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 the 
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez 
Reservation, California.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Helen 
Robbins, Repatriation Director, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 
S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, telephone (312) 665-7317, 
before February 4, 2010. Repatriation of the human remains to the Santa 
Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, 
California may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come 
forward.
    The Field Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez 
Reservation, California that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 19, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-31224 Filed 1-4-10; 8:45 am]
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