Old Grave Sites

[TnTom]

Old grave sites can usually be spotted by some sort of marking usually a stone of sort but the sunken earth in front of the stone usually indicates the coffin has collapsed. I have seen a few that make me think its a childs grave. Family sites are usually obvious single graves can often be something else. I would never scan a grave knowingly.

Has anyone ever dug up a grave by mistake? If it happened I wonder what the law would be. In our local library someone has accumulated a incredible amount of the surrounding counties here in middle Tennesse with most of the cemeteries recorded.

It wouldn't be unheard of (Ive never heard of it) to unearth a Civil War soldier by mistake if I did I suppose just cover it well and mark the grave. Im sure he wouldn't mind. Im sure the ghost would be an issue for a while but Im sure he would eventually get over it.

Most of my MD'ing is old ridges and hollows fallen cabin sites and lots of history. I actually use an old cemetery road that leads to an old road on the ridge top which is were I will focus on. Most of the folks who grew up in these hollows didn't have much. I think tools would be a great find, Most of the cabins have long since been on the ground.

I didnt mention I just got my White XLT a few days ago and my neighbor has turned me loose on his 400 acres. So Im stoked. I do a little varmit hunting and ginseng hunting and planting so now I can combine all three.

 

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[Ole # 7]

Good luck, and keep us posted!!!

 

[Alan Applegate]

Grave sites are verboten in most jurisdictions, so make sure you know what the laws are in yours.

 

[DDancer]

Having done a few cemeteries, and getting over a small creep factor, I doubt anyone has un-earthed a body yet. Like you described most old graves have a distinct hollow and pattern to the site. They tended to bury people deep enough that even a great signal is really to deep to want to bother with, in my case, simply because the creep factor really sky rockets when ya know where your at. There will be markers and that is generally enough to put anyone off a detect. Hahh

Kinda like I said in another post if you or anyone wants to detect cemeteries best bet is to put yourself in the mind of the people who come there, where they park, congregate, if there are any old newspapers maybe they can indicate were a wake area might be, and common paths. These are good area's with little creep factor.
If a church is nearby the paths to and from are good to. Watch out for Historical Area's as they may be under protection due to the Antiquities Act.

As a rule I don't detect the edges or headstones... these are area's that people may leave offerings and honestly I'd just assume let the dead keep them in memory.
Its all about respect... but what gets lost outside the grave. Well call me a creep but its fair game.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Dug up a hamster in a jar at the beach once, reburied it just as fast and trotted farther down the beach to detect. Oops!
I seriously doubt my detector would pick up any metal six feet down (contrary to some detector adds) so I'm not too worried about unknowingly committing that no no, in an unmarked graveyard.