[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35430-35431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12548]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030351; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, Art Theft Program, Washington, DC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in consultation 
with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, 
has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meets the 
definition of sacred objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of 
any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written 
request to the FBI. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer 
of control of the cultural item 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

[[Page 35431]]

claim this cultural item should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the FBI at the address in this 
notice by July 10, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Headquarters, Attn: 
Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Carpenter, Art Theft Program, 935 
Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20535, telephone (954) 931-3670, 
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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC, that 
meet the definition of sacred 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 Native 
American cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    ``From time immemorial, the Nihookaa' Dine'e Bila' Ashdla'ii has 
been tied to the aboriginal landscape'' through their oral ceremonial 
histories (Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department, 
2019). Today, the Navajo Nation covers some 27,000 square miles 
extending from Utah into Arizona and New Mexico. At an unknown date, 11 
sacred objects were acquired in the Southwest and transported to the 
East Coast, where they remained part of a private collection of Native 
American antiquities, art and cultural heritage. In the spring of 2018, 
these items were seized by the FBI as part of a criminal investigation. 
Regional archeologists from museums and universities helped identify 
the American Southwest origin of the items. Subsequent face-to-face 
consultation conducted in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 13, 2019, 
with the Navajo Nation's Tribal Historic Preservation Officer/
Department Manager and other representatives of the Navajo Nation's 
Heritage and Historic Preservation Department showed the items to be 
culturally affiliated with the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & 
Utah, and their identity as specific ceremonial objects that had been 
erroneously identified by the collector as masks.

Determinations Made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

    Officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the 11 cultural items 
described above are specific ceremonial objects needed by traditional 
Native American religious leaders for the practice of traditional 
Native American religions by their present-day adherents.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the sacred 
objects and the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI 
Headquarters, Attn: Supervisory Special Agent Timothy Carpenter, Art 
Theft Program, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20535, 
telephone (954) 931-3670, email [email protected], by July 10, 2020. 
After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer 
of control of the sacred items to the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New 
Mexico & Utah may proceed.
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation is responsible for notifying 
the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico & Utah that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: May 15, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-12548 Filed 6-9-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P