[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65725-65726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27707]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0027005; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Beneski Museum of Natural 
History, Amherst College, Amherst, MA; Correction

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; correction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College 
(formerly the Pratt Museum of Natural History) has corrected an 
inventory of human remains, published in a Notice of Inventory 
Completion in the Federal Register on May 15, 2014. This notice 
corrects the minimum number of individuals. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of 
these human remains should submit a written request to the Beneski 
Museum of Natural History, Amherst College. If no additional requestors 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the lineal 
descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in 
this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the 
Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College at the address in 
this notice by January 22, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Tekla A. Harms, NAGPRA Coordinator, Beneski Museum of 
Natural History, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002, telephone (413) 
542-2711, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the correction of an inventory of human remains under 
the control of the Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College, 
Amherst, MA. The human remains were removed from the town of Deerfield 
in Franklin County, MA.
    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.
    This notice corrects the minimum number of individuals published in 
a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal Register (79 FR 27929-
27931, May 15, 2014). Human remains from the town of Deerfield, 
Franklin County, MA, were omitted from this Notice of Inventory 
Completion because they were not in the possession of the Beneski 
Museum at the time that inventory was completed. The human remains had 
been stolen from the College, probably in the 1970's, and were 
anonymously returned to the College subsequent to publication of the 
original Notice of Inventory Completion. These human remains are now in 
the possession of the Beneski Museum. Transfer of control of the items 
in this correction notice has not occurred.

Correction

    In the Federal Register (79 FR 27930, May 15, 2014), column 3, 
paragraph 1, under the heading ``History and Description of the 
Remains,'' is corrected by inserting the following paragraph:

    At some time in the mid-nineteenth century, human remains 
representing, at minimum, one individual were removed from a site in 
Deerfield, Franklin County, MA. No records exist to determine 
precisely where or by whom the human remains were excavated. These 
human remains were in the possession of Amherst College until 
sometime, probably in 1971 or 1972, when they were stolen. The human 
remains were anonymously returned to the College in 2017. The human 
remains consist of a complete cranium and mandible with many teeth 
intact. The human remains are best identified as an adult. 
Contemporaneous catalog entries indicate the human remains were 
understood at the time of excavation to be Native American and to 
represent a burial of the indigenous population. These remains are 
identified as Pocumtuck. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.

    In the Federal Register (79 FR 27930, May 15, 2014), column 3, 
paragraph 2, sentence 1 under the heading ``Determinations Made by the 
Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College,'' is corrected by 
substituting the following sentence:

    Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in 
this notice represent the physical remains of six individuals of 
Native American ancestry.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice

[[Page 65726]]

that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains should 
submit a written request with information in support of the request to 
Tekla A. Harms, NAGPRA Coordinator, Beneski Museum of Natural History, 
Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002, telephone (413) 542-2711, email 
[email protected], by January 22, 2019. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains to the Narragansett Indian Tribe; Stockbridge Munsee 
Community, Wisconsin; and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) may 
proceed.
    The Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College is 
responsible for notifying the Narragansett Indian Tribe; Stockbridge 
Munsee Community, Wisconsin; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah); 
and the following non-Federally recognized Indian groups: Abenaki 
Nation of Missisquoi, St. Francis/Sokoki Band, VT; Abenaki Nation of 
New Hampshire; Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook--Abenaki People, NH; Elnu 
Tribe of the Abenaki, VT; Koasek (Cowasuck) Traditional Band of the 
Koas Abenaki Nation, VT; Koasek Traditional Band of the Sovereign 
Abenaki Nation, VT; Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation, VT; and 
Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck and Nipmuc Nation, MA, that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: November 19, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-27707 Filed 12-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P