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FR Doc 04-13926
[Federal Register: June 21, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 118)]
[Notices]
[Page 34399-34400]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn04-85]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Field Museum of
Natural History, Chicago, IL
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.8 (f), of the
intent to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Field
Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 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, 43 CFR 10.8 (f). The
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the cultural
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in the notice.
The 19 cultural items are 18 carved charms and 1 carved baton.
In the following list, origin, collection, and acquisition
information is derived from museum records. The first charm (catalog
number 14300), identified as Tlingit and acquired in Alaska, is ivory
with incised details representing a monster. The second charm (catalog
number 14301), acquired in Alaska, is bone with a perforation on the
top, depicts two heads of a monster, and has incised details and
perforations as part of the design. The third charm (catalog number
14303), collected in Alaska, is ivory with incised details and depicts
an animal or monster. The fourth charm (catalog number 14306),
identified as from the Northwest Coast, is ivory inlaid with abalone
with a perforation for suspending. The fifth charm (catalog number
14308), identified as Tlingit from Chilcot, AK, is ivory with incised
details and inlaid with abalone shell depicting a frog. The sixth charm
(catalog number 14310), identified as Tlingit and collected in Alaska,
is ivory with a perforation, and is carved in the shape of an animal's
head with human faces carved beneath its ear. The seventh charm
(catalog number 14311), identified as Tlingit from Alaska, is ivory
depicting a fish with a man on his back face upward, and is perforated
at the tail. The eighth charm (catalog number 14316), identified as
Tlingit from the Northwest Coast, is ivory with incised and relief
details, is perforated near the center of its back, and depicts a land
otter holding a human. The ninth charm (catalog number 14317),
identified as from the Northwest Coast, is ivory and depicts an animal
that has a mask on its belly and a brass eyelet attached to its back.
The 10th charm (catalog number 14319), collected in Alaska, is a bear
tooth carved in the shape of a fish. The mouth of the fish is wide open
and there are four curved lines at each corner of the mouth. The fish
is perforated on the dorsal fin. The 11th charm (catalog number 14321),
identified as from
[[Page 34400]]
Alaska, is a sea lion's tooth carved to represent a sculpin and has a
perforation on the top of the sculpin's back. The 12th charm (catalog
number 14324), collected in Alaska, is a bear's tooth with incised
details and a perforation near its center. The 13th charm (catalog
number 14326), identified as Tlingit and acquired in Alaska, is a
totemic carving on a bear's tooth with a perforation at one end. The
14th charm or hairpin (catalog number 14332), identified as Tlingit, is
ivory carved in the shape of a hawk and a man, and is inlaid with
abalone shell and has incised designs. The 15th charm (catalog number
14334), identified as from Alaska, is a bear's tooth with incised
designs. The 16th charm (catalog number 14338), identified as Tlingit,
is ivory with incised designs and depicts a land otter. One eye of the
land otter is inlaid with abalone. The 17th charm (catalog number
14339), identified as from the Northwest Coast, is ivory and depicts a
mythical sea monster devouring a man. The U-shaped sculpture depicts a
man's head and arms protruding from the mouth of a serpent-like
monster. The 18th charm (catalog number 268759) is ivory inlaid with
abalone, and depicts a raven figure with a kneeling human and reclining
bird figure on top. The baton (catalog number 14394), identified as
Tlingit, is wood carved at one end to depict the head of an animal.
At an unknown date, Edward E. Ayer acquired 17 of the charms and
the 1 baton. In 1894, Mr. Ayer donated one charm to the Field Museum of
Natural History (catalog number 14308) and it was accessioned into the
museum's collection in the same year (accession number 141). In 1896,
Mr. Ayer donated 16 charms and the 1 baton to the Field Museum of
Natural History and they were accessioned into the museum's collection
in the same year (accession number 112). Museum records do not indicate
how Mr. Ayer acquired the cultural items.
At an unknown date, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore W. Van Zelst acquired one
charm (catalog number 268759). In 1978, Mr. and Mrs. Van Zelst donated
the charm to the Field Museum of Natural History and it was accessioned
into the museum's collection in the same year (accession number 3389).
Museum records do not indicate how Mr. and Mrs. Van Zelst acquired the
cultural object.
The cultural affiliation of the cultural items is Tlingit as
indicated by museum records and by consultation evidence presented by
the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes. Museum
records variously identify the cultural items as Tlingit, from the
Northwest Coast, or collected in Alaska. Consultation evidence and
ethnographic literature indicate that the cultural items were removed
from specific burial sites of Native American individuals, and that
cultural items of this type were used only by the ixt' (shaman) of the
Tlingit, and usually were placed with the deceased shaman in above-
ground burials.
Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History have determined
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the cultural items described
above 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the
evidence, to have been removed from specific burial sites of Native
American individuals. Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced
between the 19 unassociated funerary objects and the Central Council of
the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes.
Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History assert that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (13), the museum has right of possession of
the 19 unassociated funerary objects. Officials of the Field Museum of
Natural History recognize the significance of the 19 unassociated
funerary objects to the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian
Tribes and have reached an agreement with the Central Council of the
Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes that allows the museum to return the 19
unassociated funerary objects to the Central Council of the Tlingit &
Haida Indian Tribes voluntarily pursuant to the compromise of claim
provisions of the museum's repatriation policy.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should
contact Jonathan Haas, MacArthur Curator of the Americas, Field Museum
of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605,
telephone (312) 665-7829, before July 21, 2004. Repatriation of the
unassociated funerary objects to the Central Council of the Tlingit &
Haida Indian Tribes may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The Field Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying
the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes that this
notice has been published.
Dated: May 11, 2004
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources.
[FR Doc. 04-13926 Filed 6-18-04; 8:45 am]
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