Notice2025-06643

Notice of Intended Repatriation: The Field Museum, Chicago, IL

Primary source

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Published
April 18, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Field 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.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 74 (Friday, April 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 74 (Friday, April 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16536-16537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06643]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039953; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: The Field Museum, Chicago, IL

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 Field 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.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after May 19, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Helen Robbins, The Field Museum, 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore 
Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, telephone (312) 665-7317, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4e263c212c2c27203d0e28272b222a233b3d2b3b2360213c29"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d3bba1bcb1b1babda093b5bab6bfb7bea6a0b6a6befdbca1b4">[email&#160;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 
Field 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

[[Page 16537]]

National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of 64 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. 
The 64 unassociated funerary objects are bowls, jars, mugs, ladles, and 
a fossilized wood arrow point. In 1897, 64 cultural items were removed 
from the site of Homolovi II in Navajo County, AZ. These items were 
taken by George A. Dorsey for the Field Museum during an archaeological 
expedition to Homolovi and were accessioned in 1898. Homolovi II was 
occupied from 1350 C.E. to 1400 C.E. Based on consultation, academic 
research, and Museum records, Homolovi II is affiliated with the Hopi 
Tribe of Arizona and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico. There is no known presence of any potentially hazardous 
substances.

Determinations

    The Field Museum has determined that:
    <bullet> The 64 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> There is a reasonable connection between the cultural 
items described in this notice and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and the 
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.

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 May 19, 2025. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Field 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. The Field 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: April 8, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-06643 Filed 4-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on April 18, 2025.

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