I thought this might provide a parallel to some historic cemeteries.
In the small rural cemetery where my family has a plot, there is no cost
for a plot, and no standard sizes. Most of the graves are not marked and
there is no map besides that in the caretaker's head. In order to assure
that you can be buried together there, you have to fence an area off and
then use the space as you wish.
 
The cemetery is located on a gravel deposit that can't be farmed. Now
the graves are dug with  backhoe. Befiore mechanized digging equipment
was available, I'm guessing that depth had more to do with stamina than
codes.
 
Sigrid Arnott
Historical Archaeologist
Minnesota Historical Society
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