Notice2023-15233
Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Boston Children's Museum, Boston, MA
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 19, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46179-46180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#155d7c72727c7b6655577a66617a7b567d7c797167707b665860667060783b7a6772"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="85cdece2e2ecebf6c5c7eaf6f1eaebc6edece9e1f7e0ebf6c8f0f6e0f0e8abeaf7e2">[email protected]</span></a>.
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:
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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