Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 30823 [E7-10713]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 106 (Monday, June 4, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 30823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10713]



[[Page 30823]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: American Museum of 
Natural History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the American Museum 
of Natural History, New York, NY, that meet the definition of 
``unassociated funerary objects'' under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    The 67 cultural items are 1 fossil bird bone, 1 carved human face, 
8 unio shells, 1 shell bead, 1 bead of shell or chalk, l large slate 
bead, 3 strings of beads of various shell and stone materials, 1 string 
of predominately serpentine beads, 47 serpentine beads, 1 sculpted 
human head, 1 seal head sculpture, and 1 pipe. The three strings of 
beads are of mixed composition - containing approximately 34, 36, and 
over 100 beads respectively. The one string of predominately serpentine 
beads is composed of approximately 35 beads of serpentine and some 
shell. Each of these four strings of beads appears to have been strung 
together after they had been found and it is believed that they 
represent four separate pieces.
    The cultural items were collected or acquired by James Terry in 
1882. The museum acquired all the cultural items from Mr. Terry in 1891 
when the museum purchased his entire collection of more than 26,000 
items. The museum accessioned the items between 1891 and 1893.
    Mr. Terry collected the 1 fossil bird bone, 1 carved human face, 8 
unio shells, 1 shell bead, 1 of the strings of beads of mixed 
composition, and 1 sculpted human head from various locations in 
Umatilla County, OR. The fossil bird bone is a single broken piece and 
approximately 8 cm in length. The human face, carved from bone, was 
acquired in 7 fragments, measuring between .5 cm by .5 cm and 4 cm by 
2.5 cm. The unio shells measure from 5 cm to 8.5 cm in length. The 
shell bead, which is perforated with three holes, is roughly 
rectangular, and measures 2.5 cm by 3 cm. The sculpted human head is a 
single stone, which appears to be granite and weighs approximately 6.8 
kg (or 15 lbs), and features a human face.
    Mr. Terry acquired the 1 shell or chalk bead, 2 remaining strings 
of beads of mixed composition, 47 serpentine beads, and 1 seal head 
sculpture from Mrs. Kunzie of Umatilla, OR. Mrs. Kunzie had collected 
the seal head sculpture and one string of beads of mixed composition 
from the vicinity of the Columbia River in Umatilla, OR. The shell or 
chalk bead, the other string of beads of mixed composition, and 
serpentine beads were collected from unknown locations in Umatilla 
County, OR. The bead of shell or chalk is discoid in shape and has a 
diameter of approximately 1.25 cm. The serpentine beads range in size, 
and are discoid, cylindrical, and rectangular in shape. The seal head 
sculpture is a single piece of basalt, weighing approximately 16 kg (or 
35 lbs), and carved with a zoomorphic face.
    Mr. Terry acquired the pipe and large serpentine bead from Mrs. 
Gordon, who collected them from the vicinity of the Columbia River in 
Umatilla, OR. The pipe is tubular in shape and is made of kaolin. The 
large slate bead is an ovaloid disc, with a large perforation, and 
measures approximately 2.5 by 4 cm.
    Mr. Terry acquired the string of predominately serpentine beads 
from Mrs. Terry, his wife, who collected them from the vicinity of the 
Columbia River in Umatilla, OR.
    The determination that the items described above are ``unassociated 
funerary objects'' is based on information provided during consultation 
by representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Reservation, Oregon and expert opinion. According to museum records, 
Mr. Terry indicated that the cultural items he collected himself were 
from sand dunes of Umatilla, OR. The sand dunes of Umatilla were 
unlikely to have been used as habitation sites and are likely to 
contain burials. The museum also has four sets of human remains that 
Mr. Terry acquired from sand dunes of Umatilla, but which are not 
associated with the cultural items described in this notice.
    Carved heads, complete tubular pipes, and whole beads tend to be 
found in burials on the Plateau. The items were likely associated with 
the Umatilla site, a Late Prehistoric to Historic Umatilla village, 
which is located in the area where the items were likely collected. 
Geographic location is consistent with the traditional and post-contact 
territory of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, 
Oregon.
    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 67 cultural items are 
reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual human 
remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or 
ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have 
been removed from a specific burial site of a Native American 
individual. Officials of the American Museum of Natural History also 
have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between the unassociated funerary objects and the Confederated Tribes 
of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Nell Murphy, Director of Cultural Resources, American Museum of 
Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, 
telephone (212) 769-5837, before July 5, 2007. Repatriation of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: May 14, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-10713 Filed 6-1-07; 8:45 am]
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