Mr. Austin,

You don't get clean grave edges that way though do you? I mean you don't
have the distinct outlines that indicate undisturbed soil?

Diane

>>> "Austin, Stephen P SWF" <[log in to unmask]> 09/13 4:05
PM >>>
While on the other side, I have seen removed cemeteries where bits of bone,
coffin wood, and hardware were scattered throughout the former cemetery.

....

Stephen P. Austin


-----Original Message-----
From: Diane Houdek [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 3:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: unmarked cemetery question


Kris,

It depends on preservation, but a disinterred cemetary shouldn't have wood
and bone fragments in your test pits.  I know that sounds obvious, but if
you have a good bulldozer operator who can scrape the ground in thin 1/4
inch layers you'll see outlines of the grave shafts or pull up bits on
coffin hardware and coffin wood if the graves haven't been moved.  If they
have, you'll probably find very indistinct grave edges.  I dealt with a
supposedly disinterred cemetary (it definitely wasn't) where all the
headstones had been removed, but the graves were still there underneath the
plow zone.

Diane Houdek
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