80 FR 71837 - Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 221 (November 17, 2015)

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 221 (Tuesday, November 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71837-71838]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29355]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19631: PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Carnegie Museum of 
Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, in consultation with 
the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items 
should submit a written request to the Carnegie Museum of Natural 
History. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control 
of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or 
Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to

[[Page 71838]]

the Carnegie Museum of Natural History at the address in this notice by 
December 17, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Deborah G Harding, Collection Manager, Section of 
Anthropology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 5800 Baum Boulevard, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15206, telephone (412) 665-2608, 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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA 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 Native 
American cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Item(s)

    Between 1957 and 1960, human remains representing at minimum, 58 
individuals were removed from the Chambers site (36LR11) in Lawrence 
County, PA. John A. Zakucia, a private individual, excavated from 1957 
to 1959, with permission from the landowners. He donated human remains 
and associated funerary objects to CMNH in June, 1959. In 1959-1960, 
CMNH personnel assisted Zakucia in his excavations. During these 
excavations, 2530 additional, unaffiliated cultural items were removed 
from the Chambers Site (36LR11) in Lawrence County, PA. The 2,531 
unassociated funerary objects, are 1953 flint fragments; 373 scrapers 
and knives; 40 points and fragments; 4 choppers; 6 hammerstones; 1 
steatite fragment; 10 burins and gravers; 11 native pottery fragments; 
7 hematite fragments; 16 animal bone fragments; 6 pitted stones; 11 
charcoal fragments; 1 net weight; 38 natural stones and fragments; 3 
drills; 6 historic pottery fragments; 20 iron and nail fragments; 2 
glass fragments; 2 mortar fragments; 4 polished stones; 1 gorget and 3 
fragments; 1 Micmac-style pipe; 1 coal fragment; 1 copper fragment; 2 
fire-cracked rocks; 1 piece of wood with bone; 1 charred corn cob; l 
Lincoln penny; and 5 radio-carbon samples.

Determinations Made by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History

    Officials of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 2530 cultural items 
described above are not 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, not to have been removed from a specific burial site of a 
Native American individual. However, since these objects were excavated 
from above and below a historic cemetery associated with an historic 
Delaware village, and since the Delaware consider them by proximity to 
be part of the burials from that cemetery, they become de facto 
funerary objects.
     Because of the point above, 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 Delaware Tribe of 
Indians.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Deborah G Harding, Collection Manager, 
Section of Anthropology, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, 5800 Baum 
Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15206, telephone (412-665-2608) email 
[email protected], by December 17, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Delaware Tribe of Indians may 
proceed.
    The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Delaware Tribe of Indians that this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 21, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-29355 Filed 11-16-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 431210-50-P