Notice2025-10134
Notice of Intended Repatriation: The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Primary source
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Published
June 4, 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 106 (Wednesday, June 4, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 4, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23702-23703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10134]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040264; 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 July 7, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Helen Robbins, The Field Museum, 1400
S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#58302a373a3a31362b183e313d343c352d2b3d2d3576372a3f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9ef6ecf1fcfcf7f0eddef8f7fbf2faf3ebedfbebf3b0f1ecf9">[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
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 National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of 42 cultural items from Coconino and Navajo Counties,
Arizona have been requested for repatriation. These 42 unassociated
funerary objects that are from five different accessions approved for
repatriation consist of ceramics, beads, awls, miniatures, and a
mortar. Between 1893 and 1901, twenty objects consisting of ceramics
and a bead were removed by Mennonite missionary Heinrich Voth from
several sites on the Hopi Reservation. George Dorsey removed one mortar
from the Hopi site of Awatovi in 1899. Three objects consisting of two
awls and a string of shell and stone beads were excavated by Jesse A.
Burt in 1899-1900 from Homolovi I and II. During two separate
excavations, Charles Owen removed eighteen objects from several sites
on the Hopi reservation in 1901. Based on consultation, academic
research, and Museum records, Homolovi I and II are 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 used to treat any of the cultural items.
Determinations
The Field Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The 42 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 connection between the cultural items described
in this notice
[[Page 23703]]
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 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 July 7, 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: May 21, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-10134 Filed 6-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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