[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71654-71655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27354]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0033125; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) has completed an 
inventory of human remains and an associated funerary object, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary object, and any 
present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
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 and associated funerary object should submit a 
written request to the American Museum of Natural History. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains and associated funerary object to the Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 and associated funerary 
object, should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to the American Museum of Natural History at the address in 
this notice by January 18, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nell Murphy, American Museum of 
Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, 
telephone (212) 769-5837, 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 completion of an inventory of human remains and an 
associated funerary object under the control of the American Museum of 
Natural History, New York, NY. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Mercer County, NJ.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the American 
Museum of Natural History's professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of 
Indians; and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, Wisconsin (hereafter 
referred to as ``The Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Human remains representing, at minimum, three individuals were 
removed from Trenton, Mercer County, NJ, most likely by Ernest Volk 
during an AMNH-sponsored expedition in 1899. They were likely 
accessioned that same year. No catalog number for the human remains of 
these three individuals could be found, but as they were housed with 
catalogued human remains from locales within the Abbott Farm site in 
Mercer County, NJ, they are assumed to have also been collected from 
the Abbott Farm site. The human remains belong to two adults and one 
subadult. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1899, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals, 
were removed from a railroad cut located south of Trenton, Mercer 
County, Delaware Valley, NJ, by Ernest Volk during an AMNH-sponsored 
expedition. AMNH accessioned the human remains that same year. The 
human remains belong to two adults whose sex is indeterminate. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1899, human remains representing, at minimum, two individuals, 
were removed from Bilbee's sandpit, located south of Trenton, Mercer 
County, NJ, by Ernest Volk during an AMNH-sponsored expedition. AMNH 
accessioned the human remains that same year. The human remains belong 
to one adult male and one adult who is likely female. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 1900, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual, 
were removed from Bilbee's sandpit, located south of Trenton, Mercer 
County, NJ, by Ernest Volk during an AMNH-sponsored expedition. AMNH 
accessioned the human remains that same year. The

[[Page 71655]]

human remains belong to one adult who is likely male. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1899, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual, 
were removed from ``River View Cemetery,'' located south of Trenton, 
Mercer County, NJ, by Ernest Volk during an AMNH-sponsored expedition. 
AMNH accessioned the human remains that same year. The human remains 
belong to one adult of indeterminate sex. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1899, human remains representing, at minimum, 13 individuals, 
were removed from Abbott Farm in Mercer County, NJ, by Ernest Volk 
during an AMNH-sponsored expedition. AMNH accessioned the human remains 
and an associated funerary object that same year. The human remains 
belong to one adult male, eight adults of indeterminate sex, three 
subadults, and one individual whose age and sex are indeterminate. No 
known individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object 
is a conical object in two pieces.
    In 1914, human remains, representing, at minimum, two individuals, 
were removed from Abbott Farm in Trenton, Mercer County, NJ, by Leslie 
Spier and Alanson Skinner as part of a museum expedition. AMNH 
accessioned the human remains that same year. The human remains, which 
were recovered from Trench 1, are highly fragmentary. They belong to 
two adults whose sex is indeterminate. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Determinations Made by the American Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the 24 human remains 
described in this notice are Native American based on their 
archeological context and Museum records.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described 
in this notice 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian Tribe.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Tribes.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 and associated funerary object should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Nell 
Murphy, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th 
Street, New York, NY 10024, telephone (212) 769-5837, email 
[email protected], by January 18, 2022. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary object to The Tribes may proceed.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
The Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 10, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-27354 Filed 12-16-21; 8:45 am]
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