I may have found a graveyard from a mining site...need advice

[YooperAlan]

I have no idea if I have found a graveyard area but an old timer told me that there was an old rumor in the area in which I'm about to start a larger excavation project. I don't know what the proper rules are in this matter. I own the land in which I'm about to start digging and where this supposed gravesite is rumoured to be. The area itself was extensively surrounded by 1 1/8 wire rope with old 5" steel piping which acted as fence posts and in the center of this 150' roundish area, is an old, very large, dead oak tree. At a minimum, the wire rope and pipes, seem to be 100 years old.

I can't get pictures just yet, as the entire area is a thick jungle and there's barely room to move.

So, if I do find evidence of graves, what do I do?
When is it considered science/archeological/treasure hunting verses grave robbing?

The general area is going to produce many finds, as a village had used this area for a dumping ground for decades, ending in the 30's-early 40's after the mine shut down.

 

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[beez0404]

Would it not be better to contact local authorities about this as opposed to posting a question here? Your local govt. should be able to tell you if there was a cemetery on your property. And if so what rules and protocol you need to follow.

 

[YooperAlan]

No records exist from this time/era.

 

[treblehunter]

It's your property, your call. You are definitely going to get some strong opinions, your opening a can of worms. IMO the only thing that matters is your opinion, it's your land. Funerals , graveyards, battle sites, places where people are dead, opinions are for the living. I don't know any dead people that can tell me what really happens after they go in the ground.

 

[screwynewy]

I'm not clear on what the purpose of the excavation is. Are you doing it for another reason or is it to try and locate the graveyard? If the latter then I'd say leave it alone. If you are trying to use the land for some other purpose then its totally up to you what you do with it. Well, for that matter either way its up to you.

 

[YooperAlan]

My only intention was/is to dig the area for the purpose of treasure hunting....it's just that I've now found this smaller area directly on the site where I wanted to start excavating. I'm not interested in grave digging; and actually am more inclined to clean the area (should it be a gravesite) and memorialize it, respectively. I don't know where this area ends and the place where I want to treasure hunt, begins.

 

[treasurehunter313]

In my humble opinion I would not detect it if the only point is to locate relics or valuables which it sounds like in your original post. It sounds like it's a grave yard I would just leave it alone. I stumbled upon an Indian gravesite before and I didn't dare go near it with my detector or shovel both out of respect and the fact that I believe Indian grave sites (which I know yours is not) can be cursed if disturbed haha. Maybe just superstition, but I'm not much of a gambler.

 

[CoilyGirl]

I think at least you might go to your local archives and see if you can find out the history of the area and maybe a family name to go on to find records of the property. Me myself I wouldn't feel comfortable digging there unless I knew for certain.

 

[uglymailman]

If someone once went to the trouble to put up steel fence posts & wire rope they were trying to fence off something. It might be a well/cistern or graveyard or something else. Check local historical society. Check your deed (mine has area set aside for cemetery and never used). Here people make sure family graveyards are noted on their abstract as they don't have to pay taxes on the land used for cemetery. Hope it turns out well for you. Good luck.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

It's your property, your call.

Sorry, but the law doesn't see it that way. You do not have a right to do whatever you want to do with your property. Digging up a grave just because you want to look for relics is totally unacceptable. It would be one thing if you accidentally dug it up, but you know it's a grave. Leave the poor soul alone and find another spot to detect.

 

[Scrappy]

Start digging. If the people in the graves complain, stop.

This is an awesome thread and I'm betting it's going to be around a while!

-Happy Hunting!

 

[PullTabPete]

I would try to research it best I could and then decide how to approach it. If you can't find any information about the area, I would probably start cleaning up the area around the perimeter and see what you can find. If it looks like a gravesite, I would probably try to cleanup/restore the area.

Are you up in Copper Country? I was there last week and did a little detecting around Calumet, the only old coin I found was a 1913 wheat.

Good Luck,

Pete

 

[Dagger Woods]

Hi folks... rank newb here, so take my opinion for what it's worth... but I agree with a couple posters here, and with YooperAlan in that I would say it's fine to go ahead and clear the area, if only to see what lies beneath the overgrowth. If you find grave markers then your options are clear - clean up the area and leave it undisturbed. If you wish to take it further and notify your local historical society, or the authorities (or whatever) then you can see where that leads you. If you don't find any recognizable signs of it being a burial site, go ahead and detect it... leaving yourself the option to quit if and when you do find a grave.

Hope you tell us what you find, if anything!

DW

 

[CRUSADER]

I would try to research it best I could and then decide how to approach it. If you can't find any information about the area, I would probably start cleaning up the area around the perimeter and see what you can find. If it looks like a gravesite, I would probably try to cleanup/restore the area.

Are you up in Copper Country? I was there last week and did a little detecting around Calumet, the only old coin I found was a 1913 wheat.

Good Luck,

Pete

I agree, clear up the area within the corded off area, & detect/dig outside of the boundries.

 

[Hendo0601]

I would probably start by clearing the brush off of the area you think might be a cemetery. Once you can get a good look at the surface you can look for signs that it was in fact used as a graveyard. The obvious would be headstones or grave markers I.e. piled up stones. A less obvious sign is to look for long narrow sunken spots in the ground about the size of a coffin. When the wood from the coffin rots and collapses the dirt above it falls down to fill in the void and leaves a dip in the surface. This is all assuming they were buried in a coffin. If you have any of these obvious signs I don't know how I would proceed...I would probably work my butt off trying to identify who is buried there and erect new grave markers and keep the area cleared. If you don't have any signs you could start doing light detecting/excavation and see what happens. Either way, tread lightly with soft feet, and every time I cross that fence I would speak aloud and let the dead know you are here to honor them, not desecrate them.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

No ethical digger would ever disturb a grave they found while detecting. The fact that it's on your property doesn't change that fact. Leave it alone, period.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

What are you going to do if you find a gold watch or a Sterling silver cross that was buried with this person? Taking anything from a grave is considered to be desecration of that grave and a crime.

 

[YooperAlan]

Wow...did not expect the amount of replies....so much to answer to but first of all, I did say the word "Respectively" in regards to any digging that may happen. Also, local history and college departments have all been notified. Courthouse has no records from this area. That being said, the area directly beside this possible gravesite is a ''dry house'' foundation from a former mine. This is what I will be excavating first. Inside this foundation - 60+' by 38' and 7 feet deep of early 20th and mid to late 19th century dumpings.

Will try to bring some pictures back, as I am headed there now.

Thanks for all expressions here!

 

[treblehunter]

Sorry, but the law doesn't see it that way.

What law is it that you are referring to? State, Federal, I'm by far not a lawyer, but I'm not quite sure of this law your talking about?

 

[FreeBirdTim]

What law is it that you are referring to? State, Federal, I'm by far not a lawyer, but I'm not quite sure of this law your talking about?

I'm not going to spend my day looking for Michigan laws, but here's the law in Virginia. Most states have a similar law. Common sense should tell you that it's illegal to disturb graves anywhere in this country.

"What do I do if I find human bones or an unmarked grave?

First of all, do not remove anything. Disinterring (removing from a grave) or displacing part or all of any buried human remains is a Class 4 felony under Virginia law (§18.2-126). Conviction is punishable by two to ten years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines. This law applies to all human burials, whether prehistoric, historic, or modern."