[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 214 (Monday, November 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67061-67062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24220]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034801; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown, VA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Colonial National Historical Park has completed an inventory of human 
remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the human remains and present-day Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations. 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 Colonial National Historical Park. 
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 Colonial 
National Historical Park at the address in this notice by December 7, 
2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerri Marr, Superintendent, Colonial 
National Historical Park, P.O. Box 210, Yorktown, VA 23690, telephone 
(757) 898-2400, 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 under 
the control of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park 
Service, Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown, VA. The

[[Page 67062]]

human remains were removed from unknown locations in Central Virginia.
    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 
Superintendent, Colonial National Historical Park.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Colonial 
National Historical Park professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Monacan Indian Nation.

History and Description of the Remains

    At unknown dates, human remains representing, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed from unknown sites in Central Virginia by 
Colonel Wirt Robinson. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, 
Colonel Robinson collected human remains and artifacts from multiple 
Virginia counties, including Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Campbell, 
and Nelson. In 1940, the collection was purchased from Colonel 
Robinson's widow by the National Park Service and placed with Colonial 
National Historical Park's Jamestown museum collection. During the 
study, evaluation, and cataloging of the collection by the University 
of Virginia, several human remains were discovered. No known 
individuals were identified. No associated funerary objects are 
present.
    In 2000, the Wirt Robinson Collection was loaned to the Monacan 
Indian Nation and analyzed by Dr. Jeffrey Hantman of the University of 
Virginia. Dr. Hantman, an authority on Monacan history and material 
culture, wrote that ``There can be no more appropriate place for this 
collection than with the Monacan Indian Nation.'' In 2002, osteologist 
Debra Gold of St. Cloud State University concluded that the 14 human 
bones and one human tooth represented two adults and one juvenile. In 
2008, the artifacts, none of which were determined to be associated 
funerary objects, were deaccessioned and transferred to the Monacan 
Indian Nation.
    All of the Virginia counties from which the human remains and 
artifacts were removed have been identified as Monacan ancestral 
territory.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National 
Park Service, Colonial National Historical Park

    Officials of the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park 
Service, Colonial National Historical Park have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of three individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 Monacan Indian Nation.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 Jerri 
Marr, Superintendent, Colonial National Historical Park, P.O. Box 210, 
Yorktown, VA 23690, telephone (757) 898-2400, email [email protected], 
by December 7, 2022. After that date, if no additional requestors have 
come forward, transfer of control of the human remains to the Monacan 
Indian Nation may proceed.
    The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Colonial National Historical Park is responsible for notifying the 
Monacan Indian Nation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 26, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-24220 Filed 11-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P