Brick vaults are commonly found in older cemeteries in Georgia, as 
well. There's a lot of red clay, which is also difficult to dig by 
hand, as well as sandy areas. I'm not aware of any studies of the 
vaults, either. Just thought I'd add another state to the list.

 



Jim Gibb wrote:



>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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-------------------------------------
Janet L. Jordan
Assistant Director
ASU Archaeology Laboratory 
2500 Walton Way
Augusta,GA 30909
Lab: 706-729-2081; Cell: 706-825-0439
email: [log in to unmask]