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

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Published

December 17, 2021

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

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.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71654-71655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#82eceff7f0f2eafbc2e3efeceaacedf0e5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abc5c6ded9dbc3d2ebcac6c5c385c4d9cc">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

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:
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#721c1f0700021a0b32131f1c1a5c1d0015"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="06686b7374766e7f46676b686e28697461">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, 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]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P

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