[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28072-28073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11855]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]

Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Pennsylvania Museum 
of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, PA

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), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession of the 
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 
Philadelphia, PA. The human remains were removed from St. Mary Parish 
(formerly Attkapas County), LA.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by University 
of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology professional 
staff in consultation with representatives of the Chitimacha Tribe of 
Louisiana.
    Sometime between 1815 and 1833, human remains representing a 
minimum of two individuals were removed by Agricole Fuselier (b.1765-
d.1839) from a cemetery near his family estate near Jeanerette, St. 
Mary Parish, LA. Mr. Fuselier ``procured the skulls'' for Dr. Justus Le 
Beau, who subsequently sent them to Dr. Samuel Morton through Joseph 
Barabino, prior to April 1833 (Barabino, Letter to Morton, 1834 January 
17, ANSP Archives). At this time, the Academy of Natural Sciences in 
Philadelphia provided storage space for much of Dr. Morton's 
collection, including the human remains, until his death in 1851. In 
1853, the collection was purchased from Dr. Morton's estate and 
formally presented to the Academy. In 1966, Dr. Morton's collection, 
including these human remains (L-606-0043 and L-606-0070), was loaned 
to the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology. In 1997, the collection was formally gifted to the 
museum. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Extensive historical documentation, original correspondence, museum 
records, and Crania Americana (Morton, 1839), identify both sets of 
human remains as Chitimacha. The human remains exhibit cranial 
modification. One cranium was either smoked or burned prior to burial, 
practices which are consistent with the Chitimacha culture, according 
to the anthropological literature. The remains were collected from a 
region where the western Chitimacha lived in at least two permanent 
villages at the time of the first documented encounter between French 
explorers and the Chitimacha in 1699, and where the Chitimacha 
Reservation was put into trust in 1919. Representatives from the 
Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana indicate that they are familiar with the 
burial site and are the descendants of the group identified in the 
historical documents.
    Officials of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology 
and Anthropology have determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), that 
the human remains described above represent the physical remains of two 
individuals of Native American ancestry. Lastly, officials of the 
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology have 
determined, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), that there is a relationship 
of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
Native

[[Page 28073]]

American human remains and the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Richard Hodges, Director, University of Pennsylvania Museum of 
Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-
6324, telephone (215) 898-4050, before June 13, 2011. Repatriation of 
the human remains to the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and 
Anthropology is responsible for notifying the Chitimacha Tribe of 
Louisiana that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 9, 2011.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2011-11855 Filed 5-12-11; 8:45 am]
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