Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 63606-63607 [2023-19958]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63606-63607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19958]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0036553; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, 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 Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology, Harvard University (PMAE) 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 Jefferson County, CO.

DATES: Disposition of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
in this notice may occur on or after October 16, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Patricia Capone, PMAE, Harvard University, 11 Divinity 
Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone (617) 496-3702, 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 PMAE. 
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 PMAE.

Description

    In 1959 and 1960, the human remains of, at minimum, six individuals 
were removed by Cynthia Irwin-Williams and Henry Irwin from the Magic 
Mountain site (5JF223), in Jefferson County, CO, during field 
excavations undertaken on behalf of Harvard University. The six 
associated funerary objects are three shell beads, one shell fragment, 
one lot consisting of charcoal and dirt, and one lot consisting of 
faunal remain fragments.
    Sometime prior to 1960, the human remains of, at minimum, three 
individuals were removed by amateur archeologist Jack Putnam from the 
Magic Mountain site (5JF223) in Jefferson County, CO. These human 
remains were donated by Putnam to PMAE at an unknown date. The 10 
associated funerary objects are one antler fragment, two chipped stone 
flakes, one organic floral remain, and six faunal remain fragments.
    In 1940, the human remains of, at minimum, one individual were 
removed by Harold A. and Betty H. Huscher of the Colorado Museum of 
Natural History (now Denver Museum of Nature and Science) from the 
Magic Mountain Site (5JF223) in Jefferson County, CO. In 1960 or later, 
the human remains came into the possession of PMAE. The one associated 
funerary object is a faunal remain fragment.

Aboriginal Land

    The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice 
were removed from a known geographic location. This location is the 
aboriginal lands of one or more Indian Tribes. The following 
information was used to identify the aboriginal land: a final judgment 
of the Indian Claims Commission and a treaty.

Determinations

    Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after 
consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes, the PMAE has 
determined that:
     The human remains described in this notice represent the 
physical remains of 10 individuals of Native American ancestry.
     The 17 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 
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma; Northern Arapaho Tribe of the 
Wind River Reservation, Wyoming; and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the 
Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana.

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 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 October 
16, 2023. If competing requests for disposition are received, the PMAE 
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 PMAE 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.


[[Page 63607]]


    Dated: September 8, 2023.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2023-19958 Filed 9-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P