[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19875-19876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05853]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037598; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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 objects of cultural patrimony and 
that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after April 19, 2024.

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, and additional information on the determinations in 
this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the 
summary or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of 19 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. 
The 16 unassociated funerary objects are one clay vessel, 11 clay 
sherds, two stone bullets, and two projectile points. The three objects 
of cultural patrimony are projectile points.
    The 16 unassociated funerary objects were accessioned without an 
accession number or donor listed. They were recorded as ``From Creek 
Indian's grave in North Alabama. Probably placed there in 1800.'' The 
clay vessel (Object ID IA/NN 442) is a small, brownish-grey cup with a 
slightly curved base (narrower at the base and widens towards the rim). 
The rim is uneven; lower on one side. The vessel measures 1 \1/2\''x 
and is about 1 \3/4\'' diameter at the rim. The pottery sherds (Object 
IDs IA/NN 443 a-j) are a group of 11 sherds in various colors and 
sizes, potentially from different vessels. The largest sherd is 
approximately 3 \1/2\'', the smallest sherds are less than 1''. The two 
stone bullets (Object IDs IA/NN 445 a and b) measure approximately 5/
8'' each and have slightly pock-marked surfaces. One is more grey in 
tone, the other is more orange and brown. The stone projectile point 
(Object ID IA/NN 444 b) is roughly triangular in shape and measures 
approximately 1 \3/4\'' long and 1 \1/4\'' wide, with a greenish color 
to the stone and a red tone at the tip of the projectile. The final 
unassociated funerary object is a projectile point that has had two 
object IDs (N.Am.I 942 and

[[Page 19876]]

N.Am.I 444) and is now known as INM 444 S1.
    The three additional objects of cultural patrimony (projectile 
points) were donated by Mr. Charles Floyd in 1939 and have Object ID 
IA/NN 932. They are described as a set of three stone projectile points 
from Georgia. Each has an irregular shape and variations in color. One 
is grey with red veins in the stone. One is quartz-like with an opaque 
white and yellow surface on one side and grey granules on the opposite 
side. One is yellow/brown in color and appears to have a broken tip.

Determinations

    Boston Children's Museum has determined that:
     The 16 unassociated funerary objects described in this 
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with 
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death 
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American 
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a 
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The 
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance 
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or 
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an 
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe 
or Native Hawaiian organization.
     The three objects of cultural patrimony described in this 
notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance 
central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-
group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other 
subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of 
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural 
items described in this notice and The Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under 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 April 19, 2024. 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 Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting 
parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: March 11, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-05853 Filed 3-19-24; 8:45 am]
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