[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52013-52014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20951]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: 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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Field Museum of 
Natural History (Field Museum), Chicago, IL, that meet the definition 
of unassociated funerary objects under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    The 12 cultural items are 1 stone pestle, 1 camas digging stick 
handle, 2 bone awls, 2 triangular points, 4 arrow points, 1 stone point 
or knife, and 1 obsidian point or knife. In 1901, Dr. Merton Miller 
removed the 12 cultural items from locations along the Columbia Rim or 
the banks of the Columbia River, near Umatilla, OR, for the Field 
Museum of Natural History. The items were accessioned into the 
collections of the Field Museum of Natural History that same year.
    According to Field Museum of Natural History records, the stone 
pestle was a surface find, collected along the Columbia River at 
Umatilla. The stone pestle (Field Museum catalog number 69202) consists 
of a stone nipple top maul with red ocher on the surface, and measures 
16.3 cm x 5.8 cm.
    According to museum records, the camas digging stick handle was 
removed from a Native American grave located along the Columbia Rim at 
Umatilla. The camas digging stick handle (Field Museum catalog number 
69267) is most likely made from elk antler, and measures 26.6 cm x 4.3 
cm.
    According to museum records, the two triangular flint points, four 
stone arrow points, two bone awls, stone point or knife, and obsidian 
point or knife were each removed from Native American graves located 
along the Columbia River at Umatilla. None of the associated human 
remains are in the control or possession of the Field Museum of Natural 
History. The two triangular points are made of flint (Field Museum 
catalog number 69273.1 and 69273.2). The first point measures 5.3 cm x 
3.5 cm and the second point measures 3.3 cm x 2.6 cm. The four arrow 
points (Field Museum catalog number 69274) are made of stone, two are 
stemmed and the remaining two have side notching. The stemmed arrow 
points measure 2.4 cm x 1.3 cm and 2.4 cm x 1.6 cm. The side notched 
arrow points measure 2.5 cm x 1.4 cm and 2.7 cm x 1.2 cm. One bone awl 
(Field Museum catalog number 69275) is bleached and has a broken tip, 
and measures 14.8 cm x 2.5 cm. The second awl (Field Museum catalog 
number 69277) is made of highly polished bone, and measures 13.1 cm x 
.4 cm. The stone point or knife (Field Museum catalog number 69278) has 
slightly rounded edges, and measures 8.8 cm x 3.4 cm. The obsidian 
point or knife (Field Museum catalog number 69279) has slightly curving 
sides and a notched base, and measures 7.1 cm x 2.6 cm.
    The cultural affiliation of the cultural items is to the Umatilla, 
as indicated through museum records, scholarly publications, and 
consultation information provided by representatives of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; 
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez 
Perce Tribe, Idaho; and the Wanapum Band, a non-federally recognized 
Indian group.
    Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 12 cultural items 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 a 
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 Field Museum of Natural History 
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a 
relationship of shared

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group identity that can be reasonably traced between the unassociated 
funerary objects and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation, Oregon.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Helen Robbins, Repatriation Director, Field Museum of Natural 
History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605, telephone (312) 
665-7317, before September 23, 2010. Repatriation of the unassociated 
funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation, Oregon, may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Field Museum is responsible for notifying the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of 
the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the 
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Nation, Washington; and the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho, that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 18, 2010.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20951 Filed 8-23-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S