Notice of Inventory Completion: Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 69315-69317 [2022-25125]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 222 (Friday, November 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69315-69317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25125]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034876; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard 
University, Boston, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and Warren 
Anatomical Museum, Harvard University have completed an inventory of 
human remains, in consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and have determined that there is no 
cultural affiliation between the human remains

[[Page 69316]]

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 should submit a written request to the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University. If no 
additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human 
remains 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 should submit a written 
request with information in support of the request to the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University at the address 
in this notice by December 19, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Pickering, William & Muriel 
Seabury Howells Director, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 
Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone 
(617) 496-2374, 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 under 
the control of the Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard University, 
Boston, MA. The human remains were removed from Essex, Norfolk, and 
Suffolk Counties, MA.
    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. 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 Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and Warren Anatomical Museum 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Tribe (previously listed as Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal 
Council, Inc.); Narragansett Indian Tribe; Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah); and two non-federally recognized Indian groups: the Assonet 
Band of the Wampanoag Nation and the Massachusett-Ponkapoag Tribal 
Council (hereafter referred to as ``The Consulted Tribes and Groups'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Sometime before 1870, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in the town of Nahant, 
Essex County, MA, by Dr. Walter Channing. In December of 1883, J. 
Collins Warren donated the human remains to the Warren Anatomical 
Museum as part of the J. Mason Warren Collection. The human remains are 
the nearly complete cranial remains of an adult male. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Sometime before 1850, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in the city of Salem, 
Essex County, MA, by an unknown person and were donated to the Warren 
Anatomical Museum by an unknown person. The human remains are the 
nearly complete cranial remains of an adult female. No known individual 
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in the town of Milton, 
Norfolk County, MA, by Dr. John Edwards Holbrook. In December of 1883, 
J. Collins Warren donated the human remains to the Warren Anatomical 
Museum as part of the J. Mason Warren Collection. The human remains are 
the nearly complete cranial remains of an adult female. No known 
individual was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In June of 1861, human remains representing, at minimum, four 
individuals were removed from a burial site ten feet from the eastern 
edge of Long Island in Boston Harbor, Suffolk County, MA, by Dr. P.A. 
O'Connell of the United States Army. Dr. O'Connell sent the human 
remains to Dr. Henry G. Clark, who presented the human remains to the 
Warren Anatomical Museum in 1862. No known individuals were identified. 
No associated funerary objects are present.
    The burials on Long Island were organized into a burial ground, 
arranged in rows, and the individuals were consistently buried in a 
flexed posture with the head directed to the south and without 
accompanying funerary objects. This contextual information suggests 
that these interments date to the Late Woodland period or later (i.e., 
post-1000 B.P.). The history of Long Island strongly indicates that 
during and after King Philip's War (A.D. 1675-1676) it served as a 
burial place for a population of New England Native American 
individuals that included, but was not limited to, the Massachusett and 
Pawtucket. During King Philip's War, Long Island was used as an 
internment camp for the so-called ``Praying Indians'' captured from the 
14 towns within Massachusett and Pawtucket homelands. The internment of 
Praying Indians on Long Island, Deer Island, and other Boston Harbor 
islands ended in 1677, but not before many had died of starvation, 
disease, and exposure. During later historic periods, several other 
groups used Long Island for burials, at least some of whom may have 
included individuals of Native American ancestry. The burial places of 
these individuals may have been confused with burial places of Native 
American individuals in recorded histories, remembered histories, and 
during archeological and other island surveys.
    Historical documents and consultation information demonstrate that 
areas of northeastern Massachusetts are the aboriginal land of the 
Wampanoag people. These same types of information also demonstrate that 
portions of Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, and Middlesex Counties, MA, are 
the aboriginal land of the Massachusett and Pawtucket peoples, neither 
of whom are represented by any federally recognized Indian Tribe.

Determinations Made by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 
and the Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard University

    Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and 
the Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice are Native American based on osteological analysis, 
archeological context, and museum records.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of seven individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     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 any present-day Indian Tribe.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains were removed 
is the aboriginal land of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (previously 
listed as Mashpee

[[Page 69317]]

Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc.) and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay 
Head (Aquinnah) (hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes'').
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains may be to The Tribes.

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 should submit a written request with information 
in support of the request to Jane Pickering, William & Muriel Seabury 
Howells Director, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard 
University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, telephone (617) 
496-2374, email [email protected], by December 19, 2022. After 
that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains to The Tribes may proceed.
    The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology on behalf of the 
Warren Anatomical Museum, Harvard University is responsible for 
notifying The Consulted Tribes and Groups that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: November 9, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-25125 Filed 11-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P