[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46179-46180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-15233]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0036221; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Boston Children's 
Museum, Boston, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to 
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with 
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The 
cultural items were removed from Cross County, AR; Poinsett County, AR; 
New Madrid, MO; and an unknown location or locations.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after August 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Melissa Higgins, Boston Children's Museum, 308 Congress 
Street, Boston, MA 02210, telephone (617) 986-3692, 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 Boston 
Children's Museum. 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 summary or related records held by Boston 
Children's Museum.

Description

    The seven cultural items were removed from Cross County, AR; 
Poinsett County, AR; Madrid County, MO; Lower MS/MO; and an unknown 
location or locations. The seven unassociated funerary objects are 
three clay jars, one clay water bottle, two clay bottles, and one clay 
pitcher.
    One clay jar was removed from site 3CS22, a cemetery at Jones Place 
in Cross County, AR. In 1914, this unassociated funerary object was 
transferred to Boston Children's Museum by the Robert S. Peabody 
Institute of Archaeology at Phillips Academy Andover through 
archeologist Dr. Warren K. Moorehead. According to Peabody Institute 
records, the clay jar was collected by archeologist C.B. Moore in 1909.
    One clay water bottle was removed from a cemetery at Cummins Place 
in Poinsett County, AR. In 1914, this unassociated funerary object was 
transferred to Boston Children's Museum by the Robert S. Peabody 
Institute of Archaeology at Phillips Academy Andover through 
archeologist Dr. Warren K. Moorehead. According to Peabody Institute 
records, the clay water bottle was collected by archeologist C.B. Moore 
in 1909.
    One clay bottle was removed from Madrid County, MO, and given to 
Boston Children's Museum by a C.E. Carpenter. When this unassociated 
funerary object was removed and donated is unknown.
    One clay pitcher was removed from Lower MS/MO. In March of 1962, 
this unassociated funerary object was given to Brandeis University by 
Charles Cattelle, and in 1970, Brandeis University transferred it to 
Boston Children's Museum. Catalog notes state that it was ``made by 
mound builders of So. Missouri.'' The clay pitcher is similar to clay 
bodies and assemblages found in Northeastern Arkansas and Southeastern 
Missouri.
    Three clay vessels--one bottle and two jars--were removed from 
unknown locations. Based on their physical arrangement within the 
Museum's storage, these unassociated funerary objects are considered to 
have come from the Southeast, though no provenience information was 
found in the Museum's accession files or catalog records. These three 
clay vessels are similar to clay bodies and assemblages found in 
Northeastern Arkansas and Southeastern Missouri.

[[Page 46180]]

Cultural Affiliation

    The cultural items in this notice are connected to one or more 
identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a 
relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier 
groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were 
used to reasonably trace the relationship: archeological, geographical, 
and expert opinion.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations, Boston Children's Museum has determined that:
     The seven cultural items described above are 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 and 
are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have been removed 
from the specific burial sites of Native American individuals.
     There is a relationship of shared group identity that can 
be reasonably traced between the cultural items and the Quapaw Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in 
ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by 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.
    Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after August 18, 2023. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, Boston Children's Museum must determine the 
most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. Boston Children's Museum is responsible for 
sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribe identified in this 
notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.8, 10.10, 
and 10.14.

    Dated: July 12, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-15233 Filed 7-18-23; 8:45 am]
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