So far as I am aware, no study has yet been made of these vaults. I make no claim of uniformity, only that they are common. The functional reasons for their use are the unconsolidated sands of the region that would make a hand-dug grave of more than three feet difficult to manage, and a high water table. I know nothing of the symbolic aspects and traditions. 

James G. Gibb 
Gibb Archaeological Consulting 
2554 Carrollton Road 
Annapolis, MD 21403 USA 
443.482.9593 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron May" <[log in to unmask]> 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 11:55:53 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: Re: Brick burial vaults 

But is this a case of "seen one, seen 'em all"? I am beginning to wonder if 
the architecture is identical in Delaware, South Carolina, Louisiana and 
out here in the Far Southwest? When I read statements like, "Delaware is 
lousy with them," I begin to wonder if some important details were passed over 
in the science of documentation? 

Ron May 
Legacy 106, Inc. 


In a message dated 4/11/2009 5:08:21 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes: 

In the recent past, Heite Consulting, Inc. has documented the 
presence of brick burial vaults (of various forms at one cemetery), 
and has conducted emergency recovery of one burial in a vault damaged 
by a backhoe. Reports on are file the the DE SHPO. I imagine others 
have prepared reports on cemeteries in Delaware that would be at the 
SHPO office for, as James Gibb noted, Delaware is lousy with them. 

Tim Mancl, RPA 
Project Archeologist 
John Milner Associates, Inc. 
535 North Church Street 
West Chester, PA 19380 
(610) 436-9000 (phone) 
(610) 436-8468 (fax) 
[log in to unmask] 

On Apr 11, 2009, at 3:00 AM, HISTARCH automatic digest system wrote: 

> From: "Timothy B Riordan" <[log in to unmask]> 
> To: [log in to unmask] 
> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 11:57:35 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
> Subject: Brick burial vaults 
> 
> I am looking for archaeological references to single-internment, brick 
> burial vaults. So far I have come across a lot of anecdotal 
> evidence but 
> no real references. My sense is they are often encountered in cemetery 
> work but I have not been able to get my hands on any reports. Can 
> anyone 
> point me in the right direction? 
> 
> Thanks, 
> 
> Tim 


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