Linda Derry with the Alabam Historical Commission has asked how others deal
with cemeteries.
 
While I can't speak for all of my colleagues here in South Carolina, we
certainly view cemeteries as archaeological resources. We complete site forms
for those found during any type of study (and they are assigned site numbers
by the S.C. Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology). We also routinely
recommend these sites as eligible for inclusion on the National Register of
Historic Places under Criterion D -- research potential in bioarchaeology and
research potential in mortuary customs.
 
South Carolina is suffering exceptional loss of cemeteries -- there are
relatively well documented cases of highways being built through them
(without any effort to relocate even the stones) -- developers have been
found to gather up the stones and them build over them. All types are at
risk, but I would guess that African American cemeteries are particularly
vulnerable and I have been involved as an expert witness in two African
American cemetery legal actions.
 
Site recordation seems to me to be the only professional, and ethical, course
of action.
 
Best,
 
Mike Trinkley
Chicora Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 8664
Columbia, SC  29202-8664
803/787-6910
E-mail: [log in to unmask]