Let?s Go Detect A Cemetery!

[Steve in PA]

I don't expect you will find anything in the old family plot, but most early family plots had a home nearby. That's what I would be looking for....

 

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[madmantrapper]

I believe that when we die, our soul is gone immediately. With permission I do it.

 

[Hangman]

A family plot on private land and you have permission from the family? I say do it.

I don?t think there is anything inherently disrespectful about detecting. In regards to the act itself, If it?s not disrespectful to dig an entire new grave next to an old one, why would it be disrespectful to dig a coin 6 just inches down? In my opinion, the sensitivity to respectfulness comes from a cemetery being a place of shared community. Probably most people wouldn?t be pleased to see someone digging in the dirt around their mom?s grave. However, as detectorists, most of our mom?s probably wouldn?t care if their son was digging in the dirt around their plot,

With the blessing of the family, I think you are good to go. None the less, if the night after you are awoken by a voice saying ?give me back my golden arm? then you F?d up......

OH NO not the GOLDEN ARM ! Haven't heard that in a coons age !

 

[unclemac]

Normally I would say no. I have detected cemeteries looking for lost markers. In your case I would say go for it, but if I found a ring, locket, or any personal item on a grave I would put it back. Coins and nonpersonal stuff, I would keep.

a lot of the Hindu and Buddhist things that I see dug up on this sight were interred by intention as well.

 

[JerV3]

I would hunt it personally.

I probably wouldn't swing right over top of the graves. But i would hit the path ways out skirts woods rds etc.

I have hunted some cemetery rd ways and open grass groves in the past and found some nice items.

Good luck on weather you decide to hunt it or not.

Jer

 

[RustyGold]

The items you may find, I’m fairly certain, is of no value to the deceased. OTOH the history you bring back into the light would benefit the living members of the family. Possibly bringing them closer to ancestors long forgotten.

 

[SusanMN]

While those above ground might be fine with your detection, those below may feel differently. Personally I would find it a creepy thing to do and might not sleep well afterwards.

 

[Peyton Manning]

Go ahead and explore, I trust your judgement

 

[Trezurehunter]

My opinion is do it Dave. It's a cemetery on private property with the owners family members buried there. We all know that the detectors aren't going to go as deep as the casket, so you are not a grave robber. If it makes you feel better, stay away from the actual headstones and where the graves are. You probably have plenty of ground to look around without going over the top of a grave. You could very well find some very old coins and relics there. If you do find anything family related, I would return it to the family since they were good enough to give you the Green light to look around. Obviously, if this were a cemetery on public property, I would have a different opinion.

 

[Squirrel322]

Did the owner specifically say you couldn’t dig up the caskets



……Ha I’m kidding

 

[CreakyDigger]

I've hunted cemeteries and have found some good things, back before I was creaky. Sometimes it is the oldest "untouched" ground in an area. 6 or 8 inches to dig up an old coin or button won't disturb any grave. Any concern beyond that, if you have permission, is just superstition.

 

[Georgivs]

Just don't dig down past 6 feet and you'll be fine. Can't wait to see what you find.

 

[wainzoid]

If your going to loot a cemetery, why stop at 6 inches?

 

[fistfulladirt]

I think I?m the only member here receiving an honorable mention for detecting in a large cemetery.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Well it seems the consensus here is to get to hunting the permission cemetery....
Especially since Jeffy trusts my judgement (gotta admit that’s got me all warm and fuzzy)

I’m looking forward to giving JP the ok I’ll do it conversation, in the meantime I’ll be hosting my Mom and Grammie for a week or so coming up. So it will be a couple of weeks till I get going on this.

Thank you all who chimed in, appreciate it.

 

[releventchair]

No backhoe.

 

[Steve in PA]

I bought my first metal detector in 1985 when I lived in Texas. The first time I came back to Pennsylvania I went straight to the old cemetery in the center of town thinking I would be digging coins as old as the dates on the tombstones. This was before the internet or any other source of information alerting me that this would be taboo. I did find a lot of Indian Head pennies, 20th century silver coins, and even a couple .69 caliber musket balls from the nearby French & Indian War fort. But no large cents, seated, or capped bust silver like from the death dates on the earliest tombstones. One day a lady from dentist office that overlooked the cemetery walked over to talk to me. I still remember her name tag in the form of a large molar pinned to her gown. She asked what I was doing and I told her. She said I was making some of the people in the office uncomfortable. I said "I'm digging six inches lady, not six feet, but I'll move over here where you can't see me". It still took me a couple more years until I realized that digging in a cemetery was frowned upon.

 

[brianc053]

Dave, it sounds like you've figured out what you're going to do, and that's great. Good luck to you.
This has been such an interesting thread to read that I wanted to add my thoughts; I'll keep them brief:
- If I were encouraged by the property owner to detect the location I would probably do it. I would probably ask them to come along with me (if they would/could), and I'd offer to share whatever I find (although I'd hope to keep a few coins if found).
- If I were given permission but more in-passing (i.e. if the property owner wasn't pushing for it), I would probably not pursue it. From what others have said, the chances of finding good stuff there is pretty low anyway.
- Obviously without permission I wouldn't go into any cemetery, even one in the woods of a public land preserve.

- One other story Dave: I was given permission to hunt some land that our town purchased, part of a historic farm (originally founded in 1700's and the family remained on the farm into the 2000's). The owners (who passed away in the early 2000's) had built a "walled brick garden" with a fountain in the middle, about 100 feet X 100 feet. In the garden was a memorial stone with the names of the owners on it; the stone looked like a headstone but I was pretty certain it wasn't their grave.
Nevertheless I did not detect near the memorial stone last year when I detected the rest of the walled garden. To me, when I looked at it I felt like it was an area that needed to be treated with respect, so I gave it a roughly 6' buffer.
This year I talked with the son of the previous owners; he's moved away but he's still very proud of his family's legacy here in town. He shocked me by telling me that his parents' ashes were scattered in front of that memorial stone. I immediately apologized for going anywhere near that area and I made it clear that I did not dig close to the stone. Fortunately this person was very understanding and not concerned about it - but it still left me feeling funny. Even though I'm confident I did not desecrate where their ashes were spread, the thought still makes me uncomfortable.
I keep that experience in mind as I'm reading this thread about going near a cemetery for detecting. I have a hunch that after I did such a thing - even if encouraged by the property owner - I might feel funny about having done it.

But I probably still would...

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

- Brian

PS - I found a silver matchbox case from a known silversmith (circa 1900) and a Chinese coin (late 1800s) in the walled garden, along with some other clad change.

 

[RGINN]

A cemetery I detect. My brother and sister were buried in one in western OK, and the funeral home put up some markers. We couldn't afford headstones. Eventually through time, weather, and the guy mowin the cemetery those faded away. I know exactly where they are, but future generations won't. Probably won't care either. But, I went out and buried some aluminum cans at the head and foot of those graves. Also, at an unknown and unmarked infant's grave nearby. Should I ever forget, I can go out and scan that area with the detector and locate them right away.

 

[Hunt4it]

Dont do it! What you dig up might not be what you had in mind, or even worse, it might just come home with you!!!