Does anyone know the laws regarding abandon colonial grave yards?

[Muddyhandz]

Have you taken that 1266x and set disc. 1 near all-metal, Disc.2 to accept non-ferrous, push the sensitivity in, cranked to the max and scan the area?
You should be able to tell if there is metal down fairly deep and if you get a few shallow hits, dig a couple of plugs to see if it's anything to do with a casket.
I would think that the detector would give you some information rather than just digging random pits.
It's not taboo to detect in this manner as you are trying to determine whether the graves even exist.
You should be quite capable to figure this out on your own rather than calling someone else in.
Why would you be arrested if the place is about to be logged with trees uprooted?
Any landowner can dig on their property. The intent is not grave rob.
You ARE doing the right thing by testing the area yourself, since you were asked by the owner of the property.
Unless you are uneasy about doing this due to personal beliefs then go for it!
I wish you all the best.

 

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[Muddyhandz]

Wow!Well,I stand corrected.Thanks.Is that really what our Nation has come to?Only Native Americans matter?Only if something can be "learned",from them,do we care?What about us?Are we not all equal?Hard to fathom!!

note.....these questions are not directed at anybody here directly...unless you have the answers

When I was younger and being a white guy with long hair, potential employers would hire me only if I cut my hair.
Of course I told them off.
Now, after getting my genealogy done and having traceable Native ancestry that qualified me for Metis status, no one can tell me to cut my hair.
I'm still the same white guy but it's now politically incorrect to deny me of my heritage. Lol.

 

[rossman85]

have you EVER dealt with state archaeologists before? the moment they find out your a metal detector you better stand wayyyy back and its like pulling teeth to get them to come out for anything unless your finding gold or george washingtons relatives

I love archaeology, but state archaeologists tend to have a massive ego.....if its on private property i think it would be ok to see if they are graves before backhoes start pulling them out. Besides as citizens of a free country we need to have respect for private property of citizens without constant government intrusion.

 

[kuger]

When I was younger and being a white guy with long hair, potential employers would hire me only if I cut my hair.
Of course I told them off.
Now, after getting my genealogy done and having traceable Native ancestry that qualified me for Metis status, no one can tell me to cut my hair.
I'm still the same white guy but it's now politically incorrect to deny me of my heritage. Lol.

.....what if that grave yard was of Roman explorers?I guess since no one "important",gives a hoot,history never gets told for what it truly may be?
case in point outside Fallon Nev,sometime in the 50's I beleive....a farmer deep plowing pulled up a woven net with two 6'+ tall red headed skeletons...there had been legend written by Sarah Winnemucca who had told of the Red headed giants that were cannibals....the two local Indian Tribes were asked to come claim the bodies but neither would so they were disposed of...lost for ever

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Have you taken that 1266x and set disc. 1 near all-metal, Disc.2 to accept non-ferrous, push the sensitivity in, cranked to the max and scan the area?
You should be able to tell if there is metal down fairly deep and if you get a few shallow hits, dig a couple of plugs to see if it's anything to do with a casket.
I would think that the detector would give you some information rather than just digging random pits.
It's not taboo to detect in this manner as you are trying to determine whether the graves even exist.
You should be quite capable to figure this out on your own rather than calling someone else in.
Why would you be arrested if the place is about to be logged with trees uprooted?
Any landowner can dig on their property. The intent is not grave rob.
You ARE doing the right thing by testing the area yourself, since you were asked by the owner of the property.
Unless you are uneasy about doing this due to personal beliefs then go for it!
I wish you all the best.

That is actualy some good advice and yep I know exactly what your talking about, you must have some experience with the Fisher 1266x I sware if you understand that sensitivity on the Fisher and know how to use it you can hear signals almost deeper then any new metal detector coming out but you really have to know what your doing when you push that sensitivty knob all the way in but its almost like hearing signals 3 feet deep.. I plan on going back out to this spot again over the weekend and will try and take photos of the flat rocks and area for a slideshow, I found out today the ARPA does not apply to this area and this land is not on any Indian Land or tribe map and checking with a legal source it is okay too excavate the area, however if ANY indian relics or anything that may lead too thinking this is an indian burial plot then excavating must stop and the government must be called in to come out. The landowner is already in the works on getting a certified archaeologist out there in the next few weeks, so hopefully we will know what we are dealing with. Thanks for all the comments everyone and I am a firm believer in preserving history and making sure a spot like this gets protected the only way of preserving this site would be too dig one of the graves up and know what we are dealing with so it can be preserved.

 

[smokeythecat]

I would not personally dig around the area. All it takes is one person to complain, and it's normally someone with no interest whatsoever in the property, and the problems begin. I'd have the landowner use some orange tape to mark off the suspect area and have it off limits to the loggers. Even if it a grave, there would be no way to find out who or when they were buried, and In my opinion, leave well enough alone. You might look for their houses and trash pits which are probably within a quarter mile. Many of my ancestors are buried in your area. I wouldn't want them disturbed.

 

[GulfCoastRelix]

Have you thought about contacting a university that has an archaeology department? They would be more than eager to come check it out for you and they have the proper permits and equipment to conduct a survey. Not to mention you would be doing some students a real justice. If they had to excavate and it turns out to be human remains they would catalog everything and reinter the body. It is quite possible they have more of an information network than is publicly known and can find an answer for you. Honestly if the site dates back to the colonial era then there would not be much left in the way of remains anyhow after 200 plus years. People that find human remains by accident while digging around in battlefields is a long way from knowingly excavating a possible grave. I wouldn't worry to much about state involvement since it is private property. Let us know what you decide I would be eager to know the results.

 

[taz42o]

Certified archaeologist ? Excavation must stop and the government be called in?
I hope for the landowner that there is nothing there but rocks.

 

[digging wv]

An unmarked stone in a possible graveyard should be treated as a grave marker. Our familiy graveyard is located part way up a mountain and is dated as far back as the 1800 era. Many, many of the graves are marked only by a stone, or sometimes two showing each end of the grave. There are well over a hundred graves there and I would say less than 25% have an engraved stone. Some only letting a letter or two to show. Treat it as a human cemetary until you know for sure!

 

[Scotdixon]

I have found these,
I suggest you have the land owner not log this area, or cut but do not bed. Logging will destroy all aspects of history period! Go to your county RMC office research previous owners and examine old plats and or deeds they will describe any known grave yards even slave. I have been a land surveyor in S.C. for 30 years and have located possibles, it is better to save than destroy! If you are rich hire a radar detection company or unit and be sure. If there are graves, and old not much will be left - you mention marsh, dont know your area but here in Charleston we have no local rock, dead give away for markings of some sort.
DONT LOG THE IMMEDIATE AREA!!!! If there are any depressions, facing east indicates old school burial. Site permits mean nothing to buried souls! Good luck!

 

[Scotdixon]

Maybe in the west, but her in Gods country we respect the beginning...No offense, but damn - In my state the descendants of the family own the grave site, still must gain permission to enter or work but they do own it. My ggrand was buried by his mother on what is now paper company land. I personally care take these sites with no problems by current owners. Heck of a topic - I respect and value that CA input though!

 

[kuger]

Maybe in the west, but her in Gods country we respect the beginning...No offense, but damn - In my state the descendants of the family own the grave site, still must gain permission to enter or work but they do own it. My ggrand was buried by his mother on what is now paper company land. I personally care take these sites with no problems by current owners. Heck of a topic - I respect and value that CA input though!

....not sure where that Jab was directed?I have never heard SC reffered to as "Gods",country,and where did you get that we dont respect"the begining"?My family is buried on our place as well...and has been grave robbed too....yea,I am a bit "sensitive" about this subject

 

[Muddyhandz]

.....what if that grave yard was of Roman explorers?I guess since no one "important",gives a hoot,history never gets told for what it truly may be?
case in point outside Fallon Nev,sometime in the 50's I beleive....a farmer deep plowing pulled up a woven net with two 6'+ tall red headed skeletons...there had been legend written by Sarah Winnemucca who had told of the Red headed giants that were cannibals....the two local Indian Tribes were asked to come claim the bodies but neither would so they were disposed of...lost for ever

The earliest French explorer wrote in his journal while exploring southern Manitoba (my home province) that there was a village of 7 foot tall "White Indians" located there. By the end of the 18th century they completely disappeared. Local Natives knew nothing about them or the mounds that were all over the area. One mound contained copper artifacts that were almost Celtic in design.
Of course our southern U.S. neighbors don't call their NFL team the Vikings for nothing!

 

[62dold]

You will have to look deep within yourself,some day those bones will be your's. " let sleeping bones lie "

 

[Bev]

Diesel, that's what I was thinking, some type of imaging machine. I know people up here use long rods like Rebar (sp) and they probe till they hit something. Maybe that would be the most unobtrusive manner.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Well if you actually think about it, if there are bodies there, then that cemetery hasn't been abandoned. At least by the folks who are buried there.

I posted on another thread here that I have 3 grave yards on my farm going back to the 1700's and maybe further, some of them are just children. To me it is their final resting place and should be left that way.

I couldn't live with myself if I knowingly desecrated one of em just to haul out some lumber.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

I have contacted people before to do ground sonar and they wanted very good amount of money to even come out there.. I think one was about $1,500 for 2 or 3 hours while one was up near $6,000. I need to invest in buying one! I was on a project 3 years ago with the National Park Service and they had a guy come out there to do ground sonar and from what I recall he charged them close to $10,000 for three days work.

 

[calli942001]

I got permission to detect 20 acres of land. This attachment has got me confused of what it is. . I don't want to detect no graveyard.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I got permission to detect 20 acres of land. This attachment has got me confused of what it is. View attachment 921626. I don't want to detect no graveyard.

I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it's not a tombstone.

 

[Bitpusher]

I'd dig, and see what's there.

There's a difference between disregard for a graveyard and respectfully trying to determine what is there. If you do end up finding human remains, treat them with respect and relocate them if necessary.