Notice2024-05853
Notice of Intended Repatriation: 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
March 20, 2024
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 objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19875-19876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05853]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#743c1d13131d1a0734361b07001b1a371c1d181006111a073901071101195a1b0613"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0f8d9d7d7d9dec3f0f2dfc3c4dfdef3d8d9dcd4c2d5dec3fdc5c3d5c5dd9edfc2d7">[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, 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:
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 20, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.