Opinions about metal detecting historic cemetaries

In case you glanced over these:

I don't think it was right you accusing him of basically being a grave robber, and judging him of what he might do in the future? I get from his posts that he wants to metal detect there, but not where it would be messing up the grave yard, or the burial places. He came here to get opinions, not to get judged and accused like that. You have voiced your opinion, and then some. But don't get from any of his posts in this thread that he was going to do something disrespectful or moraly wrong. I honestly think you owe him an apology for the accusations you made man.

Phoenix

 

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Interesting point and I'm not saying I agree with detecting in a graveyard. However, if you really look at this statement it says you don't have the right to do what you want with your own property. Granted, most of us don't have cemetaries on our land (at least that we know of).

Expand this further to "surrounding property". This says to me that one can't even go into ones backyard in the suburbs with a metal detector without the permission of the person that lost the coin you might find. Think about it. If he happens to find an 1815 Half Dollar, for example, is the original owner going to claim it? Are the owners descendants going to pipe up with "my great, great so and so on yada yada always wondered where that coin went."
If you see a quarter laying on the sidewalk do you pass it up because you know the "rightful" owner will come back to retrieve it?

I am, by no means, condoning "grave robbing". I would suggest a ton of research at the local library, online etc. Know what you're getting into BEFORE you do anything. Still it's your property so it's ultimately up to you.

What may follow may follow and Cloudsweeper99 has pointed that out.

 

I would like everyone to read this article on grave robbing. Grave robbing is the act of uncovering a crypt and stealing something from a coffin or crypt. How what he asked about graverobbing? I don't understand where anyone is getting grave robbing from what he asked, or maybe I am missing something.

Phoenix

 

And btw, my mother is an anthropologist, so I do have a respect for the dead, and I don't like anything disrespectful being done to a graveyard, but I see no harm about searching the surrounding area.

Phoenix

 

I have to disagree with you on this one. I think I'm on target and I would suggest that you go back and read his last post carefully. I see a problem here, and this is the time to nip the problem in the bud. I know it isn't popular these days to speak bluntly, but if it avoids a problem I don't really care what others may think.

 

Hmm, please still excuse me, but I still don't see what you say I'm missing. Please do not take me as rude, or offensive, I intend no rudeness or offensiveness in my posts, but I am trying to get to the core of this situation. I am obviously am missing something, so I please ask you to point it out to me. I still don't see him as grave robbing, or anything of the sort, and I see nothing wrong with detecting the outer parts of the cemetery, or the parts that are not disrupting the graves or anything like it at all. I am sorry if I am sounding ignorant, but I still stand by what I said.

Phoenix

 

Me too.

 

JUST GO BY THIS RULE, DO NOT DIG NEAR THE STONES, OR OTHER CONCRETE OBJECTS THAT MARK THE GRAVES. ALSO, DO FILL IN YOUR HOLES AS YOU WOULD IN A PARK. AND THIS IS NOT GRAVEROBBING. GRAVEROBBING LIKE PHOENIX SAID, IS DIGGING UP A COFFIN, BREAKING IT OPEN, AND STEALING VALUEBALES OUT OF THE COFFIN. THIS IS NOT ROBBING. ITS SIMPLY JUST FINDING OLD COINS OR OTHER OBJECTS FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRINDS HAVE DROPPED IN THE PAST, VISITING THEIR LOVED ONE THAT DIED. IF YOU THINK THIS IS GRAVE ROBBING, THINK AGAIN. ITS JUST A SIMPLE WAY OF FINDING OLD COINS IN THE GROUND. now that i have covered that, i would like to say go ahead and detect there. just rember what is in capital letters. i wouldn't detect in a active graveyard, but if this one hasn't been used in years i'd say go ahead. like your really going to dig 6 feet! come on guys, an inch or two at the most for coins.

 

The poster says that streets and streams and other things have been named after these "famous" people and NO ONE knows about graveyard? These people have no descendants? Oh, there are people who know where it is!!! I've done family research for years and this story is, to be perfectly honest, unbelievable. A graveyard of 90 tombstones filled with "famous" people is known - even if it is overgrown and off the beaten path.

I find this whole thing a little funny.

However, detecting in a graveyard is a legitimate question. I more or less agree with Coinlover - but I would add that you should only detect around the perimeters and paths leading to the area - not between the graves.

As someone else said, it's really a moral question. I do know that in Minnesota is is illegal to "deface" a tombstone or grave. Don't know how that might apply to someone digging a small hole 6" deep over a grave.

EDIT: If what you say is true - that a town founder is buried on your property and no one knows about it. You really have a moral obligation to let the leaders of that town know about it. If the town doesn't exist anymore, than the you should notify the county historical society. Not a LEGAL requirement, just a MORAL one.

 

This is just my opinion, I would not go digging in a cemetery even if the cemetery is no longer used. A cemetery is like sacred ground a place where folks can rest in peace and that's why their loved ones put them there.

Lou

 

As a historian, I have walked around graves, etc. But when you start breaking the soil (unless it's at the edge of the cemetary or a path leading to it).

I'm sorry. If your fancy-dancy metal detector starts beeping over my aunt laurel's grave, Please leave.

If, instead, it's in the area where people smoked or (whatever) before they went to the final ceremony, I don't have a problem with that..

 

I agree with that: i would NOT metal detect in a cemetery. Occasionally i come across abandoned cemeteries here in the woods, and i have never been inclined to even get within 10 meters of their fences. I once came across a small, abandoned jewish cemetery deep in the forest. In a country like germany such places have a special meaning. I dropped my detector and approached the area with utter respect and sadness. Detecting there never even crossed my mind.

 

I shoud have added to my earlier post that just because there is no stone you can't assume there was no burial there. Graves were unmarked for a variety of reasons (no one was left to pay for a stone, pauper's grave, etc.). Also, stones could have been stolen or toppled over the years.

If the cememtery has a clear boundry and you can reliably identify the area beyond the consecrated ground, then that might be a different story.

 

Why would the university put a fence on your property?

Ruben

 

Who has rights to the gold ring in that situation? Is there an antiquities law that might come into effect?

Ruben

 

The state historical commission determined it was a moundbuilder site and as such, the public has to have access. Sam Houston State University which verified the site as Mississippian Mound Culture offered to put the fence and gate up in order to control access to the location. Believe me, there are cows in Texas, LOL.... Now, if they would empty the trashcan in a timely manner and keep the gate in working order.

Take Care
Ben

 

It would be amoral to rob a grave. In Georgia you can go to prison for it. If there is a graveyard on your property then it would be illegal to treat it as anything but. Get a job!

 

Howdy,

I posed this question a month or so ago and go the response that cemetaries are more or less off limits to metal detecting.

In this case, it's a 'private' abandoned one on your property, so you have some rights. However, I'd guess that most states have laws about cemetaries, graves, and for that matter antiquities. Even if there aren't applicable laws, you've got to deal with the ethical issue involved.

Frankly, I would think it would be OK to detect around the cemetary but not in and around the graves themselves. This is strictly from an ethical perpective, not legal.

We all know that history has shown us 1000's of grave robbers and some fabulous fortunes uncovered. This is one end of the spectrum.

At the other end is a guy I work with who's an archeolobist who feels it's criminal to metal detect ANYWHERE. I chatted with him one day about it and thought he was going to have a cardiac.

Us coin collectors and particularly those that do metal detect lie somewhere in the middle between these two extremes.

good luck,

rono

 

{Deleted}

 

Funny, how some people jump all over the OP for considering going metal detecting on private property.

How do those same people feel about;

Relocation of many, many cemeteries by the Tennessee Valley Authority http://www.tngenweb.org/sullivan/cemetery/tva01.htm
Abandonment of many cemeteries by the Tennessee Valley Authority which are now under water (same link)
http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshore/culturalresources/cemeteries.htm

Or how about projects that are less grand in serving the public good, such as to make way for a sports park, or a mall, or a hotel???
http://www.kctv5.com/news/14691172/detail.html?rss=kan&psp=news
http://www.losinggeorgia.com/2007/07/03/cemetery-to-be-relocated/


Alot of the sites I found indicated that there is a requirement to have a funeral director on hand (not on-site) when actually removing the graves. There did not seem to be any limitations regarding fixing up the cemeteries such as redoing the landscaping, repairing walls or existing structures, repairing grave markers (which obviously is not done on-site).

Of course this is not comprehensive or sound legal advice. OP may live in a community that requires the property owner to ACTIVELY maintain the cemetery.

Personally, if I was the OP, I would contact the local historical society, let them know about the cemetery, ask them for assitance in cleaning it up, and discuss with them their thoughts on using a metal detector in and around the cemetery (possibly even donating to them any significant finds, especially anything that is personally identifiable to someone not in the OP's family).