when does a cemetary go from cemetary to archaelogical site?

[bbells]

Ok, I agree that a modern cemetery is probably unethical to md in. But, Archaeologists do basically the same thing in cemeteries all over the world. So, at what age does the cemetery need to be for the ethical dilemma to end? I have several around that haven't been used for 150 to 200 years. Be pretty gross t find a ring on a finger, though.

 

[mamabear]

hmmmm.

 

[DocBeav]

Double Hmmmmm..... I think what you have here is a moral/legal combination question. Regardless of "morals" and how you feel about going into a "graveyard" with the purpose of detecting there I think the real show stopper is the LEGAL question. My guess is you would have to check State and County (or Township) laws on this to see where you stand. I'm sure there is some sort of law(s) that would cover this. I don't think though that the law (or most anyone) would really consider 150-200 years to be THAT old ya know?

It is an interesting question though and if you check and find out any info I'm sure others here would be interested to hear it!

 

[silversnacher]

Is it out in the open or tucked away in a woods or something?

 

[bbells]

I'm not sure i would want to do it, just the fact that they are there brings up an interesting question.

 

[Jason in Enid]

 

[TerryC]

When the government says it does. TTC

 

[frogginfish]

I found a site that has a lot of info and also people to contact to possibly answer your question. I have talked with a contributor to that site that deals with my county cemeteries and she said she would either go with me or give me the names of people to contact to hunt the graveyards.

Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials

Hope this helps

 

[Tnmountains]

Well considering it is illegal to excavate a grave let alone unethical. It never ends being a grave. I do not think archeologist dig many things with head stones or markers. ??

 

[seekandfind]

Well now heres an interesting thing/story. One would think that once baried or a loved one baried it would be for life right?!! Not necessarilly so, in Illinois just within the last two years there have been a couple cases where people have gone to visit loved ones to find the graves gone,the caskets removed and unceremoniusly put aside(for when and what?) but the cemetary told the people involved that basically their loved ones time in the ground expired and the cemetary was under no legal obligation to keep them baried there. HOW FREAKIN WEIRD IS THAT??!!! As i recall the picture of the big pile of dirt with caskets sticking out of it at all angles. When my time comes its cremation, I told the family to make a huge fire ,toss me in and get me to the wind and earth,ashes to ashes, just something to think about.Also up in Michigan my uncle lives near a graveyard in the woods mostly Indians but the markers we could make out put them all at over 100 years old, have thought about heading up there but since i believe in ghosts and hauntings its not going to happen , I dont care how much gold could be in that ground. HH

 

[LuckyLarry]

It's so the dead can rest in peace, and so no more wackos start digging up their bones, something that has happened in the past. Remember when there was a small cult following where people dug up and kept a skull in their car while they drove around with it stinking to high heaven? That was back in the mid-80's.

 

[jeff of pa]

I think it becomes Archaeological when an Archaeologist decides he wants to dig it.

 

[Streak]

Actually this is a rather intriguing question. What has always made me want to do MDing is the fact that I'm into archaeology, anthropology and paleontology. To be frank I have never once given this a thought. Most sites that archaeologist dig in are hundreds to thousands of years old. However, as others have stated, even if you get past the moral feeling of detecting in a grave yard, you would still be faced with the legal aspect.

Even an archaeologist has to get permission from what ever ruling body is there before they can begin digging. If the site isn't old enough then I think you'd be faced with the ruling body not wanting anyone to dig there because, hey, they may have relatives buried there. If it's sufficiently old (Maybe 150 -200 years) then the ruling body very well may let you dig because they, themselves are curious.

It is a dilemma...that I would love to hear the resolution of!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Do a search and you will see this topic has been covered many times here and it doesn't end well..... Any questions are answered there already.


We are not going down this road again...