Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore, Wellfleet, MA

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 162 (Monday, August 24, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 54753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17179]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7438; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043541; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore, Wellfleet, 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 U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) has completed 
an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice may occur on or after September 23, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects in this notice to Jennifer Flynn, Cape 
Cod National Seashore, National Park Service, 99 Marconi Site Road, 
Wellfleet, MA 02667, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0349666d6d6a6566715c456f7a6d6d436d73702d646c75"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2f8d7dcdcdbd4d7c0edf4decbdcdcf2dcc2c19cd5ddc4">[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 
Superintendent, CACO, and additional information on the determinations 
in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in 
its inventory or related records.

Abstract of Information Available

    Human remains representing, at least, one individual has been 
identified in a collection that originated from an archaeological 
excavation conducted in Barnstable County, MA in 1969-1970. The remains 
were housed at Plimoth Patuxet Museums (previously known as Plimoth 
Plantation Museums) before being transferred to CACO in 1982. The 337 
associated funerary objects were identified during an amateur 
archaeological excavation in Barnstable County, MA in 1960. The 337 
associated funerary objects consist of stemmed points, notched points, 
drills, bifaces, scrapers, axes, adzes, pestles, and a piece of worked 
antler. The site was interpreted as a cremation burial and the 
collection was gifted to CACO by the property owners in 1966.
    There is no record or documentation of any potentially hazardous 
substances used to treat any of the human remains or associated 
funerary objects.

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 and associated 
funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    CACO has determined that:
    <bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of one individual of Native American ancestry.
    <bullet> The 337 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects 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 and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after September 
23, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, CACO 
must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. CACO is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the 
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice and any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: August 17, 2026.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17179 Filed 8-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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