Notice2025-04637
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA
Primary source
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Published
March 19, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 52 (Wednesday, March 19, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12765-12766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04637]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039603; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Pennsylvania Museum
of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Pennsylvania Museum of
Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum) has completed an inventory
of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural
affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or
after April 18, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Dr. Christopher Woods, Williams Director, University of
Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6324, telephone (215) 898-4050, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a3e33283f392e35281a2a3f3434372f293f2f377435283d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="73171a011610071c013303161d1d1e060016061e5d1c0114">[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 the
Penn Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in its
inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing, at least, one individual has been
identified. No associated funerary objects are present. The human
remains are the cranium of one individual recorded as an adolescent
(age 12-15 years) of an unknown sex. Prior to 1840, the human remains
were recovered by Dr. Paul Swift under unknown circumstances from an
unknown location, probably Maine. Dr. Swift lived in Nantucket, where
he practiced medicine, until he
[[Page 12766]]
moved his practice to Philadelphia, PA, in 1841. In 1840, the human
remains were transferred to Dr. Samuel G. Morton and were stored with
his collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia
(ANSP). Dr. Morton died in 1851, and in 1853, the ANSP purchased his
collection, including these human remains. In 1966, Dr. Morton's
collection was loaned to the Penn Museum, and in 1997, the collection
was formally gifted to the Penn Museum (PM# 97-606-105). There is no
known presence of any potentially hazardous substances.
Published sources and museum records identified the human remains
as Penobscot. Consultation with the Maine Wabanaki Intertribal
Repatriation Committee, an organization that represents the four
federally recognized tribes in Maine (Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians,
Mi'kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe (Indian Township and Pleasant
Point), and Penobscot Nation) on matters of repatriation has led to the
determination that the human remains are culturally affiliated with all
four tribes geographically. Based on the wishes of the Tribes, the Penn
Museum supports the disposition of the human remains described in this
notice to be made collectively to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians,
Mi'kmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe (Indian Township and Pleasant
Point), and Penobscot Nation, as represented by the Maine Wabanaki
Intertribal Repatriation Committee.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location or acquisition history of the human remains described in this
notice.
Determinations
The Penn Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and the
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians; Mi'kmaq Nation (previously listed as
Aroostook Band of Micmacs); Passamaquoddy Tribe; and the Penobscot
Nation.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this
notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this
notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with
cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a
requestor may occur on or after April 18, 2025. If competing requests
for repatriation are received, the Penn Museum must determine the most
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint
repatriation of the human remains are considered a single request and
not competing requests. The Penn Museum is responsible for sending a
copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: February 25, 2025
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-04637 Filed 3-18-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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