Notice2025-23185
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Primary source
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Published
December 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University (PMAE) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony 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 241 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 241 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59199-59200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23185]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6730; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041489; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Peabody Museum of Archaeology
and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, 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), the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and
Ethnology, Harvard University (PMAE) intends to repatriate certain
cultural items that meet the definition of 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 January 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Jane Pickering, Peabody Museum of
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue,
Cambridge, MA 02138, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c3a9b3aaa0a8a6b1aaada483a5a2b0edaba2b1b5a2b1a7eda6a7b6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="741e041d171f11061d1a13341215075a1c1506021506105a111001">[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
PMAE, 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 14 cultural items has been requested for repatriation.
The 14 objects of cultural patrimony are described as follows:
The one object of cultural patrimony collected from Upper Lake,
Lake County, CA, is one lot of a basket. The object of cultural
patrimony formerly belonged to Nutah, the father of Captain Chicken,
was acquired by Grace A. Nicholson in 1906, and was donated to the PMAE
by Lewis Hobart Farlow the same year.
The two objects of cultural patrimony collected from ``Big Valley''
in California are one lot of a basket and one lot of a basket beater.
The objects of cultural patrimony were collected by Grace A. Nicholson
and Carroll S. Hartman in 1910 and donated to the PMAE by Lewis Hobart
Farlow the same year.
The three objects of cultural patrimony collected from unknown
locations in California are one lot of a bear disguise or model, one
lot of ear ornaments, and one lot of an elkhorn dagger, all made by
William Benson, a known member of the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians
of the Big Valley Rancheria, California. The objects of cultural
patrimony were collected by Grace A. Nicholson in 1907 and donated to
the PMAE by Lewis Hobart Farlow the same year.
The one object of cultural patrimony collected from an unknown
location in California is one lot of a spear. The object of cultural
patrimony was purchased from Captain Cahidano by Grace A. Nicholson in
1906 and donated to the PMAE by Lewis Hobart Farlow the same year.
The seven objects of cultural patrimony collected from unknown
locations in California are one lot of a hair pin, one lot of a
whistle, one lot of a pair of ear ornaments, one lot of regalia, and
one lot of a men's dance
[[Page 59200]]
skirt that were collected by Grace A. Nicholson and donated to the PMAE
by Lewis Hobart Farlow between 1909 and 1918; one lot of a feather
headdress and head pin collected by Grace A. Nicholson and Carroll S.
Hartman in 1910 and donated to the PMAE by Lewis Hobart Farlow the same
year; and one lot of a woman's headdress collected by an unknown person
at an unknown date and donated to the PMAE by Mrs. Thomas B. Bishop in
1908.
Determinations
The PMAE has determined that:
<bullet> The 14 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 connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians of the Big
Valley Rancheria, California.
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 January 20, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the PMAE 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 PMAE 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: December 2, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23185 Filed 12-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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