82 FR 44440 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Robbins Museum of Archaeology, Middleborough, MA

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 183 (September 22, 2017)

The Robbins Museum of Archaeology 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 a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 Robbins Museum of Archaeology. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44440-44442]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20297]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0024038: PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Robbins Museum of Archaeology, 
Middleborough, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Robbins Museum of Archaeology 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 a cultural affiliation between the human 
remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations. Lineal

[[Page 44441]]

descendants or 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 Robbins Museum of 
Archaeology. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects 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 
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 Robbins Museum of Archaeology at the 
address in this notice by October 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Lindsay Randall, Robbins Museum of Archaeology, 17 Jackson 
Street, Middleborough, MA 02346, telephone (978) 7497-4496, 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 Robbins Museum of 
Archaeology, Middleborough, MA. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from the Mansion Inn site, Wayland, MA.
    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 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 Robbins 
Museum of Archaeology professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation, 
representing the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (previously listed as the 
Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc.) and the Wampanoag Tribe 
of Gay Head (Aquinnah) as well as the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag 
Nation and the Nipmuc Nation (non-federally recognized Indian groups).

History and Description of the Remains

    In June 1959, human remains representing, at minimum, two 
individuals were removed from the Mansion Inn site (19-MD-210) in 
Middlesex County, MA. The human remains were included in collections 
given to the Robbins Museum by Leslie Longworth, Sr., Alan Longworth, 
and Alfred Mansfield, or their heirs, in the 1970s and 1980s. The human 
remains consist of one burned and calcined bone (Robbins Museum/
Massachusetts Archaeological Society Object #279.01) from one 
individual, age and sex indeterminate, and one set of 3 human teeth 
(Object #946.00) from one individual, age and sex indeterminate. No 
known individuals were identified. The 350 associated funerary objects 
are 6 lots of burned & calcined mammal bones; 60 cobbles and cobble 
fragments; 1 lot of over 1,000 lithic debitage; 9 lithic drills; 8 fire 
cracked rock; 23 fire starters/fire starter kits, including debris; 4 
flaked stone tools; 12 lithic fragments; 44 ground stone tools; 5 lots 
red ochre; 1 copper adze; 2 lots charred wood; 1 lithic petroglyph; 1 
lot of over 900 points/blades/bifaces; 37 broken points/blades/bifaces; 
4 possible shaft abraders; 2 blade preforms; 1 probable blade fragment; 
45 unidentified stone fragments; 1 stone adze; 2 possible chopping tool 
fragments; 9 stone celt, celt fragments, and probable celt fragments; 1 
stone axe/celt/chopping tool fragment; 3 unidentified worked stone 
fragments; 2 grooved stone tool fragments; 7 grooved stone axes; 5 
stone gouges; 1 pebble; 1 possible core; 16 possible stone tool 
fragments; 3 unidentified stone tools; 26 stone slabs; 5 ceramic 
sherds; and 2 stone tool fragments, adze or axe. An additional 6 
associated funerary objects currently missing from the collection are 1 
debitage/lithic flake (#12380); 4 broken points/blades, probably 
Mansion Inn type (#s 10481, 10532, 10775, and 10815); and 1 point/
blade, Mansion Inn, variety Dudley (#10136).
    The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from 
site 19-MD-210 by a number of individuals in 1959 when construction 
activity at the site of the old Mansion Inn revealed the presence of 
archeological features. The site was looted by local children, their 
parents, and friends, assisted by local collectors. Many kept what they 
had excavated, though some human remains and funerary objects were 
preserved in museum collections. Frederick Johnson, curator of the 
Robert S. Peabody Foundation for Archaeology (now the Robert S. Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology) undertook salvage excavations to recover some 
information about the site. Human remains and funerary objects removed 
by Johnson, Curtis Chapin, Alfred Mansfield, Leslie Longworth, Sr., 
William Brierly, and others were ultimately preserved in the Robert S. 
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and the Robbins Museum of Archaeology.
    Excavations, studies, and one radiocarbon assay on organic material 
date the site from approximately 2111 to 1697 B.C. This is consistent 
with the Watertown Phase and subsequent Coburn Group of the Late 
Archaic Susquehanna Tradition (3900 to 2600 BP). Multiple lines of 
evidence guided by tribal consultations, including geographic location, 
maps, oral tradition, linguistic, and archeological data, demonstrate a 
shared group identity between the human remains and associated funerary 
objects in this notice and the Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation, 
representing the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe (previously listed as 
the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council, Inc.) and the Wampanoag 
Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) as well as the Assonet Band of the 
Wampanoag Nation and the Nipmuc Nation (non-federally recognized Indian 
groups).

Determinations Made by the Robbins Museum of Archaeology

    Officials of the Robbins Museum of Archaeology have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 2 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 350 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. An additional 6 associated funerary 
objects currently missing from the collection.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the 
Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation, representing the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Indian Tribe (previously listed as the Mashpee Wampanoag 
Indian Tribal Council, Inc.) and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah). Additionally, a cultural relationship is determined to 
exist between the human remains and the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag 
Nation and the Nipmuc Nation, which are non-federally recognized Indian 
groups.

[[Page 44442]]

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or 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 Lindsay Randall, Robbins Museum of 
Archaeology, 17 Jackson Street, Middleborough, MA 02346, telephone 
(978) 7497-4496, email [email protected], by October 23, 2017. After 
that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation, representing the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Indian Tribe (previously listed as the Mashpee Wampanoag 
Indian Tribal Council, Inc.) and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah), and, if joined to one or more of the culturally affiliated 
tribes, the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation and the Nipmuc Nation, 
which are non-federally recognized Indian groups, may proceed.
    The Robbins Museum of Archaeology is responsible for notifying the 
Wampanoag Repatriation Confederation, representing the Mashpee 
Wampanoag Indian Tribe (previously listed as the Mashpee Wampanoag 
Indian Tribal Council, Inc.) and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 
(Aquinnah) as well as the Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation and the 
Nipmuc Nation (non-federally recognized Indian groups) that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: August 21, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-20297 Filed 9-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P