Notice of Inventory Completion: Maine State Museum, Augusta, ME, 29939-29941 [2023-09766]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29939-29941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09766]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0035804; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Maine State Museum, Augusta, ME

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Maine State Museum has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has 
determined that there is no cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and any Indian Tribe. The human 
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Penobscot, 
Washington, Hancock, and Knox Counties, ME.

DATES: Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice may occur on or after June 8, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Paula T. Work, Curator of Systematic Collections, Maine 
State Museum, 83 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333-0083, telephone (207) 287-6604, 
email [email protected].

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 
Maine State Museum. The National Park Service is not responsible for 
the determinations in this notice. Additional information on the 
determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, 
can be found in the inventory or related records held by the Maine 
State Museum.

Description

    In 1926, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Eddington Bend, ME74.8, in Penobscot County, ME. 
These human remains were transferred to the Maine State Museum in 1982 
by the Brick Store Museum (from its W.B. Smith collection). Red Ocher 
grave H contained heavily burned skull and long-bone fragments 
belonging to an individual of indeterminate age and sex. Based on a 
radiocarbon date of 3,590 60 BP (on charcoal), these human 
remains date to the Archaic Period (Susquehanna Tradition). No known 
individual was identified. The five associated funerary objects are two 
pieces of ocher, one fire kit, and two mammal bones.
    In 1926, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Eddington Bend, ME74.8, in Penobscot County, ME. 
These human remains were transferred to the Maine State Museum in 1982 
by the Brick Store Museum (from its W.B. Smith collection). Red Ocher 
grave J contained heavily burned tooth enamel belonging to an 
individual of indeterminate age and sex. Based on burial style and 
associated artifacts, these human remains date to the Archaic Period 
(4,500-3,800 BP). No known individual was identified. The three 
associated funerary objects are a piece of ocher, a celt, and a worked 
stone.
    In 1926, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Eddington Bend, ME74.8,

[[Page 29940]]

in Penobscot County, ME. These human remains were transferred to the 
Maine State Museum in 1982 by the Brick Store Museum (from its W.B. 
Smith collection). Red Ocher grave K contained heavily burned tooth 
enamel belonging to an individual of indeterminate age and sex. Based 
on burial style and associated artifacts, these human remains date to 
the Archaic Period (4,500-3,800 BP). No known individual was 
identified. The three associated funerary objects are a piece of ocher, 
a piece of limonite, and a soil sample.
    In 1926, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Eddington Bend, ME74.8, in Penobscot County, ME. 
These human remains were transferred to the Maine State Museum in 1982 
by the Brick Store Museum (from its W.B. Smith collection). Cremation 
pit 8 contained heavily burned skull and long-bone fragments belonging 
to an individual of indeterminate age and sex. Based on burial style 
and associated artifacts, these human remains date to the Archaic 
Period (3,800-3,500). No known individual was identified. The eight 
associated funerary objects are six celts, one scraper, and one animal 
bone.
    In 1926, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Eddington Bend, ME74.8, in Penobscot County, ME. 
These human remains were transferred to the Maine State Museum in 1982 
by the Brick Store Museum (from its W.B. Smith collection). Three 
unprovenienced cremation samples include heavily burned skull, 
mandible, metacarpal or metatarsal, and long-bone fragments belonging 
to an individual of indeterminate age and sex. Age and sex are 
indeterminate. These human remains most likely date to the Archaic 
Period (4,500-3,500 BP). No known individual was identified. The two 
associated funerary objects are animal bone fragments.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Canal Bank, Grand Lake Stream Plantation, 
ME94.27, in Washington County, ME. These human remains were transferred 
to the Maine State Museum on December 8, 1982, by the Maine Historic 
Preservation Commission (from the Ed Brown archeological collection, 
which had been purchased at auction). The human remains--a calcined 
cranial fragment--belong to a juvenile of indeterminate sex. Based on 
artifacts found at the site, these human remains most likely date to 
the Archaic Period (4,500-3,500 BP). No known individual was 
identified. The one associated funerary object is a piece of ocher.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Boynton Point, Lamoine, ME43.4, in Hancock 
County, ME. These human remains were transferred to the Maine State 
Museum by Connecticut Historical Society on unknown date. The human 
remains--a humerus fragment--belong to an individual of indeterminate 
age and sex. Based on artifacts found at the site, these human remains 
date to the Ceramic Period. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    On an unknown date, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed from Harbor Island, Brooklin, ME30.3, in 
Hancock County, ME. These human remains were donated to the Maine State 
Museum in 1979 by Benjamin Smith. The human remains--one molar, one 
premolar, and one incisor or canine--belong to an adult of 
indeterminate sex. These human remains most likely date to the Ceramic 
Period. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1972, human remains representing, at minimum, 11 individuals 
were removed from the Crocker site, North Haven, ME29.81, Features 3 & 
4, in Knox County, ME. These human remains were recovered during an 
excavation by the Maine State Museum. Feature 4 pit contained the human 
remains of the following 10 individuals: one infant 8-16 months old; 
one juvenile 2-4 years old; two juveniles 4-8 years old; one juvenile 
7-11 years old; one sub-adult 16-20 years old; two adults 20-24 years 
old; one adult 35-40 years old and probably male; and one adult 35-40 
years old and probably female. Feature 3 pit contained the human 
remains of one individual 40-55 years old and of indeterminate sex. 
Based on a radiocarbon date from feature 4, these human remains date to 
the Ceramic Period (1,165 125 BP). No known individuals 
were identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1978, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Drinking Place Brook, Vinalhaven, ME29.151, in Knox 
County, ME. These human remains were recovered during an excavation by 
the Maine State Museum. The heavily fragmented and charred skeleton 
belongs to a female 18-35 years old. Based on a radiocarbon date from a 
bone, these human remains date to Late Ceramic Period (840 110). No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.

Aboriginal Land

    The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice 
were removed from known geographic locations. These locations are the 
aboriginal lands of one or more Indian Tribes. The following 
information was used to identify the aboriginal land: Acts of Congress 
that include the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 
96-420, 94 Stat. 1785), the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians 
Supplementary Claims Settlement Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-566, 100 Stat. 
3184), and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs Settlement Act of 1991 (Pub. 
L. 102-171, 105 Stat. 1143); the legislative history of the above Acts 
of Congress; and other relevant, authoritative governmental 
determinations concerning the aboriginal occupation of lands by the 
Mi'kmaq Nation (Previously listed as Aroostook Band of Micmacs), 
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and the 
Penobscot Nation claim as their aboriginal territory.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, the Maine State Museum 
has determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 20 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 22 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.
     No relationship of shared group identity can be reasonably 
traced between the human remains and associated funerary objects and 
any Indian Tribe.
     The human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice were removed from the aboriginal land of the 
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians; Mi'kmaq Nation (Previously listed as 
Aroostook Band of Micmacs); Passamaquoddy Tribe; and the Penobscot 
Nation.

Requests for Disposition

    Written requests for disposition of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the 
Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES. Requests for disposition 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization

[[Page 29941]]

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, or who shows 
that the requestor is an aboriginal land Indian Tribe.
    Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
described in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after June 8, 
2023. If competing requests for disposition are received, the Maine 
State Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
disposition. Requests for joint disposition of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. The Maine State Museum is responsible for sending a 
copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9 and 
10.11.

    Dated: May 3, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-09766 Filed 5-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P