CEMETERY ETIQUETTE ??

  • Thread starter Thread starter fastfingers
  • Start date Start date
fastfingers said:
What are the rules for MD'ing cemeteries? There's an old one down the street. The headstones are from the 1700's. I would love to get in there.

Ok here are the rules....
Number 1 get caught go to jail!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
 

It is pretty much an understanding that cemeteries are off limits to MDing. Family of the deceased, towns people, ...... would not appreciate anybody hunting for stuff people may have left for the dearly departed. In respect to all those who are with us and those who are not, the majority of those who MD will not hunt in a cemetery.
 

Stay out of detecting cemeteries......Period. Do you want to give them more reason to outlaw more ground that we could have searched.

If I see anyone detecting a cemetery, I might shoot them myself..... I mean, your already in the "right place."
 

Im not trying to be rude, but what kind person has to ask if its ok to hunt in a cemetary? The thought of that has crossed my mind i admit, but its just not right.
 

this is definitely a touchy subject... there have been similar threads before. It usually falls into 2 camps... those who ADAMANTLY oppose detecting in cemeteries, and those who think it is just another piece of land and ok.

Detecting any public cemetery, historic or otherwise, tends to make people look at us as grave robbers. We all know that we aren't going to be digging more than a few inches into the ground... but the perception is there. Doing it where people are going to see you just worsens our collective reputation. The general consensus is that it is extremely disrespectful to detect in cemeteries, both to the dead, and their families.

I would just pass on cemeteries. I was going to try to find an exception to that rule (I hate absolutes) and give a "for instance"... like there's a historical cemetery on my parent's farm hidden in the woods (i have one of those), or the owner of the land said it's ok... But every time I come up with a justification, I come back to "It is disrespectful."
 

If you find an old cemetery, do some research and see if there might have been a church there at one time. You don't have to go into the cemetery.
 

yep there is a "cemetery" etiquette about metal detecting ---and here it is---- DON"T---- since it is illegal in most places to "metal detect" in a known graveyard andeven if its not illegal just about everyone still views it at the very least to be highly immoral to metal detect in a "known" graveyard ---- please do not ask us to condone any such behavior---you've come to the wrong place for that ---sorry--- but thats the way it the just about everyone I know of feels about it (me included)---Ivan
 

Yep, and since cemeteries are off limits, stay out of any battle sites, any skirmish sites, any parks where someone has died, any yard where someone has died, any carwreck, any plane crash since these are just as sacred as a cemetery. I don't see a problem is you do it respectably and get permission. If you get permission to detect then detect. Stay away from graves and detect the vacant areas and the road and walk ways. O, I almost forgot to mention any boat that has sunk or any beach where someone has drowned or died. ::)
 

I have hunted FOR a cemetery, but not necessarily in one. I was contacted by a land owner to find an 1862 yellow fever epidemic graveyard. The short of it, I found it by finding the coffin nails, (only about 4" down) once it was identified as the graveyard it was marked so it wouldn't be damaged, and that is ... the rest of the story.
HH Joe
 

lucky1777 said:
Yep, and since cemeteries are off limits, stay out of any battle sites, any skirmish sites, any parks where someone has died, any yard where someone has died, any carwreck, any plane crash since these are just as sacred as a cemetery. I don't see a problem is you do it respectably and get permission. If you get permission to detect then detect. Stay away from graves and detect the vacant areas and the road and walk ways. O, I almost forgot to mention any boat that has sunk or any beach where someone has drowned or died. ::)
What he said.
 

sorry but a known graveyard is concidered by everyone that I know of as holy or "blessed" ground- thus the importantance of having or getting a "proper burial" for their loved ones to most people--and while it is true people have "died" all over the planet--- both in battlefields and in accidents (land and sea)---however battlefeilds and accident sites while deserving respect are not concidered on the same level by most people as a cemetary as far as "holy or blessed ground" is concidered--- plus the detecting of the battle or accident sites often helps solve and find out what happened in the accidents or the battles---what happened in the accident or what caused it to happen and who was at what point / place in the battle--- thus allowing us to better understand the history of the events ---in a "known" graveyard there is no "mystery" at all=== mr joe smith was buried there on june 12 ,1881---and digging in graveyards gives fuel to those who wish to paint us as cold hearted ghoulish grave robbing types --- this of course is just my veiw on the matter --Ivan
 

Spin all you want, but there is no difference. Battlefields are considered hallowed, just ask Abe. ;). No one said to dig over the graves. I have hunted them and will again if given the chance. If you have permission go for it, but just use good judgement and don't make a mess.
 

i hate these threads
side note people die in spanish shipwrecks no ones crying about them getting "plundered"
pffft lame........
by the way thanks general sherm 8)
 

I stay away from all Burial Grounds, everything else in my book is fair game.

HH
 

I hate these subjects too...but....I dont think the actual hunting is the problem. Its what people will think when they see you. Whether you agree with it or not. NOONE seeing you will understand. I have seen on the net, in older times, visitors thought it was good luck to place 13 cents at the gates of a grave yard. Maybe thats a place ok to hunt? Or maybe not....HH dave :O)
 

I wouldn't be caught dead detecting a cemetary. I'll leave that up to the people that have no soul.
 

King Tuts on display
 

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