[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2119-2120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00475]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0035105; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Penn State University, Matson 
Museum of Anthropology, University Park, PA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Matson Museum of Anthropology, Penn 
State University has completed an inventory of human remains and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and any Indian Tribe. The human remains were removed from Smyth 
and Washington Counties, VA.

DATES: Disposition of the human remains in this notice may occur on or 
after February 13, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Dr. James Doyle, Director, Matson Museum of Anthropology, 
Penn State University, 216 Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 
16802, telephone (814) 865-2033, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
Matson Museum of Anthropology, Penn State University. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice. 
Additional information on the determinations in this notice, including 
the results of consultation, can be found in the inventory or related 
records held by the Matson Museum of Anthropology, Penn State 
University.

Description

    In 1978, Mrs. Bertha H. Lucas donated human remains that had been 
removed from the State of Virginia to Pennsylvania State University. 
Since 1902, her husband, Mr. Howard K. Lucas, had been collecting 
prehistoric items, and during the 1920s and 1930s, he purchased some 
items from other collectors. Although the Matson Museum's accession 
file does not specify how and when particular items

[[Page 2120]]

in the Lucas Collection were acquired, it does state that human remains 
representing, at minimum, 25 individuals were removed from Smyth and 
Washington Counties, VA. The Lucas Collection (Penn State Lot 27) 
contains 25 skulls. Four crania have no mandibles (PSU27:137 belonging 
to a young adult female, PSU27:141 belonging to an adult female, 
PSU27:146 belonging to an aged adult, and PSU27:175 belonging to an 
adult male). Six crania have matching mandibles (PSU27:142 belonging to 
a young adult, PSU27:159 belonging to a young adult, PSU27:165 
belonging to an adult male, PSU27:171 belonging to an adult female, 
PSU27:172 belonging to an adult male, and PSU27:173 belonging to an 
adult male). Three crania have uncertain matching mandibles (PSU27:140 
belonging to an adult male, PSU27:166 belonging to an adult male, and 
PSU27:168 belonging to a young adult). Twelve crania have attached, 
unassociated mandibles (PSU27:135 belonging to an adult male, PSU27:138 
belonging to a female with an attached mandible belonging to an adult 
male, PSU27:139 belonging to an adult male, PSU27:143 belonging to an 
adult male, PSU27:144 belonging to a young adult, PSU27:145 belonging 
to an adult, PSU27:147 belonging to an adult, PSU27:148 belonging to a 
young adult male with an attached mandible belonging to a female, 
PSU27:167 belonging to an adult male, PSU27:169 belonging to an adult 
female, PSU27:170 belonging to an adult male, and PSU27:174 belonging 
to an adult). One cranium with matching mandible came from Keywood in 
Washington County (PSU27:172); one cranium with matching mandible came 
from Broadford in Smyth County (PSU27:171); and the remaining 23 skulls 
came from Saltville in Smyth County. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.

Aboriginal Land

    The human remains in this notice were removed from known geographic 
locations. These locations are the aboriginal lands of one or more 
Indian Tribes. The following information was used to identify the 
aboriginal land. Based on the 1884 Cherokee Land Cessions map compiled 
by C.C. Royce, there were two colonial era treaties between the 
Cherokee and the British that include Smyth and Washington Counties--
the Treaty of October 14, 1770 at Lochabar, South Carolina, and the 
Treaty of March 17, 1775 with Richard Henderson.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, the Matson Museum of 
Anthropology, Penn State University has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of, at minimum, 25 individuals of Native American 
ancestry.
     No relationship of shared group identity can be reasonably 
traced between the human remains and any Indian Tribe.
     The human remains described in this notice were removed 
from the aboriginal land of the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of 
Cherokee Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma.

Requests for Disposition

    Written requests for disposition of the human remains in this 
notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 
ADDRESSES. Requests for disposition may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization, or who shows that the requestor is an aboriginal land 
Indian Tribe.
    Disposition of the human remains described in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after February 13, 2023. If competing 
requests for disposition are received, the Matson Museum of 
Anthropology, Penn State University must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to disposition. Requests for joint disposition of the 
human remains are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. The Matson Museum of Anthropology, Penn State University is 
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes 
identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9 and 
10.11.

    Dated: January 4, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-00475 Filed 1-11-23; 8:45 am]
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