I have been following the discussion of cemeterians and what they do with
great interest, especially with respect to the different sources of wisdom
which they and archaeologists bring with them.  I have been involved in a
heritage management study of a nineteenth century Australian cemetery,
where forty years ago the cemetery management offered to exhume all the
burials in a large area of the cemetery if they could sell the land as a
public park.  They estimated there had been 36 burials in that area.  The
exercise never took place.
 
Today, their own (incomplete) records show that there had been at least 498
burials in that area, and inspection of aerial photographs and the extent
of previously disturbed ground suggests there may have been as many as
1,600.
 
One definition of "cemeterian" may be: someone who underestimates the
number of burials to keep down the cost of exhumation.
 
 
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Dr Peter Bell, Historical Research Pty Ltd
PO Box 3044, Rundle Mall  5000,  Australia
Phone/Fax:  (08) or (+618) 8338 2460
Mobile/Cellular:  (+61) 015 793 652
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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