2023-24531. Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice.

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 a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Coahoma County, MS.

DATES:

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice may occur on or after December 7, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Patricia Capone, PMAE, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone [phone], email [e-mail].

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 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 the PMAE.

Description

Human remains representing, at minimum, 30 individuals were removed from the Oliver site (state site number 22Co503) in Coahoma County, MS, in 1901, as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology expedition to Mississippi led by Charles Peabody and William C. Farabee. The 68 associated funerary objects include 66 objects that are present at the PMAE and two objects that are not currently located. The 66 present associated funerary objects are one bone tool, one brass bell, two lots consisting of ceramic sherds, eight ceramic vessels or vessel fragments, one bag of charcoal fragments, two faunal bones, 39 glass beads, 10 shell beads, one lot consisting of shells, and one lot consisting of wood fragments. The two associated funerary objects that are not currently located are one lot consisting of a bone tool and one lot consisting of a brass point.

Human remains representing, at minimum, 15 individuals were removed from the Oliver Site (state site number 22Co503) in Coahoma County, MS, in 1902, as part of a Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology expedition to Mississippi led by Charles Peabody and William C. Farabee. The 10 associated funerary objects include nine objects that are present at the PMAE and one object that is not currently located. The nine associated funerary objects present at the PMAE are two ceramic vessels, five glass beads, and two shell beads. The one associated funerary object not present is one lot consisting of a ceramic vessel.

Cultural Affiliation

The human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice are connected to one or more identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures. There is a relationship of shared group identity between the identifiable earlier groups, tribes, peoples, or cultures and one or more Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. The following types of information were used to reasonably trace the relationship: anthropological information, archeological information, biological information, folklore, geographical information, historical information, kinship, linguistics, oral tradition, other relevant information, or expert opinion.

Determinations

Pursuant to NAGPRA and its implementing regulations, and after consultation with the appropriate Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations, the PMAE has determined that:

• The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of 45 individuals of Native American ancestry.
• The 78 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.
• There is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the human remains and associated funerary objects described in this notice and the Quapaw Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

Written requests for repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice must be sent to the Responsible Official identified in ADDRESSES . Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:

1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations 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.

Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after December 7, 2023. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the PMAE must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation 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 and Native Hawaiian organizations 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, § 10.10, and § 10.14.

Dated: October 27, 2023.

Melanie O'Brien,

Manager, National NAGPRA Program.