Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 55486-55487 [2020-19701]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55486-55487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19701]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0030738; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The American Museum of Natural History has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations, and has determined that there is no cultural affiliation 
between the human remains and associated funerary objects and any 
present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control of 
these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request to the American Museum of Natural History. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice that wish to request 
transfer of control of these human remains and associated funerary 
objects should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to the American Museum of Natural History at the address in 
this notice by October 8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Nell Murphy, American Museum of Natural History, Central 
Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, telephone (212) 769-5837, 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the American Museum of 
Natural History, New York, NY. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Fox Farm, Mays Lick vicinity, in 
Mason County, KY.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). The determinations in this notice are the sole 
responsibility of the museum, institution, or Federal agency that has 
control of the Native American human remains and associated funerary 
objects. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the American 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee 
Indians; Shawnee Tribe; The Chickasaw Nation; The Muscogee (Creek) 
Nation; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1895, human remains representing, at minimum, 187 individuals 
were removed from Fox Farm, near Mays Lick, in Mason County, KY. Harlan 
Ingersoll Smith, an archeologist at the American Museum of Natural 
History, collected these human remains as part of an expedition. These 
human remains and their associated funerary objects were accessioned 
into the Museum's collection that same year. The human remains include 
32 adult males; seven adults who may be male; 33 adult females; seven 
adults who may be female; 32 adults of indeterminate sex; three 
individuals whose age and sex are indeterminate; and 73 subadults. No 
known individuals were identified. The 188 associated funerary objects 
are 14 shell pendants (more than 90 pieces); one lot of pearl shell 
beads (30 pieces); seven lots of Marginella apicina shell beads (more 
than 168 pieces); three lots of cylindrical Marginella shell beads 
(more than 62 pieces); two lots of Olive shell beads (11 pieces); one 
lot of coal or shale spherical shell beads (14 pieces); 15 lots of 
cylindrical shell beads (more than 350 pieces); two spherical shell 
beads; 20 lots of shell beads (more than 500 pieces); one conch shell 
bead; six lots of Unio shells (11 pieces); three lots of olive shells 
(15); one lot of Busycon shells (three); one pearl shell; two conical 
sea shells; one lot of shell objects (four pieces); one worked shell; 
one shell; one large shell ornament (in more than 50 pieces); nine bone 
awls (one of which was made from a wild turkey tibia); two awl shaped 
shells; eight stone disks; five perforated shell disks; three stone 
pipe blanks; three stone pipes (one of which is incised with a figure 
of a man); 10 bone beads or tubes (one of which is incised); three coal 
or shale pieces; one lot of small

[[Page 55487]]

ceramic dishes (three pieces); one antler projectile point; 20 stone 
projectile points (two of which are chert, one of which is flint, and 
three of which are serrated); one chert piece; one rubbed stone; one 
stone drill; three stone celts; one bone fish hook; nine pottery sherds 
(one of which is in the shape of a bird head); three hammerstone 
pebbles; one bone button; one cut animal jaw; one lot of fox squirrel 
jaws (more than 50 pieces); one lot of bear teeth cut on edge (three); 
one pack or wood rat skull; one diseased animal bone; three deer 
antlers; one lot of perforated teeth (28 pieces); two pieces of bone; 
one piece of burned bone worked to a point; one cover stone; one lot of 
charred corn; one lot of charred corn cobs; one lot of charred beans 
and corn; one lot of charred beans, walnuts, and corn; one lot of 
charred hickory nut shells; and one lot of charred walnuts.

Determinations Made by the American Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 187 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 188 objects 
described in this notice 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary objects and any present-day 
Indian Tribe.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects were removed is the aboriginal land of the 
Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and the United 
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects may be to the Cherokee 
Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band 
of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization 
not identified in this notice that wish to request transfer of control 
of these human remains and associated funerary objects should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Nell 
Murphy, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th 
Street, New York, NY 10024, telephone (212) 769-5837, email 
[email protected], by October 8, 2020. After that date, if no additional 
requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 
and associated funerary objects to the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of 
Cherokee Indians; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 
Oklahoma may proceed.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
The Consulted Tribes that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 4, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-19701 Filed 9-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P