Notice2026-06342
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Castine Scientific Society D.B.A. Wilson Museum, Castine, ME
Primary source
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Published
April 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Wilson 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 91 Issue 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16731-16732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06342]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7046; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042510; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Castine Scientific Society
D.B.A. Wilson Museum, Castine, ME
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 Wilson 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 4, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Abby Dunham, Wilson Museum, P.O. Box
196, 120 Perkins Street, Castine, ME 04421, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#364453465742445f57425f595876415f5a4559585b434553435b18594451"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b392e3b2a3f39222a3f2224250b3c2227382425263e382e3e266524392c">[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
Wilson 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 17 cultural items has been requested for repatriation.
The 17 unassociated funerary objects are five stone tools, three worked
stones, one worked shell, one lot of mica, one lot of approximately
three beads, one lot of approximately three pieces of pottery sherds,
one lot of approximately 28 pieces of pottery sherds, one lot of
approximately 29 pieces of pottery sherds, one lot of approximately 37
pieces of pottery sherds, one lot of approximately five pieces of
worked stone, and one lot of approximately 27 pieces of worked stone
collected by Birkbeck Wilson on an unknown date from the Etowah Site in
Cartersville, Georgia.
Determinations
The Wilson Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The 17 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
[[Page 16732]]
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 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 May 4, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Wilson 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 Wilson 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 24, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-06342 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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