Ethical Question: Detecting at an abandoned cemetery?

[Texaspast]

I have searched the area AROUND an old abandoned cemetery before. I happen to know of one in the middle of a pasture, at the top of a hill. There is a square of pine trees that has not been cut, and that is where the cemetery is. I know it because my grandmother showed me where my great-great-great grandfather was buried there, his grave marked by a big rock. There had been a church associated with the cemetery, which had burned in the 1860s. I searched all around the cemetery, found the church location by a profusion of square nails, found a few odds and ends (no coins), and also found a confederate infantry button. I would never search IN a cemetery, but that isn't where people are likely to have dropped anything, anyway. Search the outskirts - there probably was a church or a pavilion of some sort associated with the cemetery. There likely may have been a picnic area close to it, since the community often got together once a year to clean the cemetery and have lunch on the grounds.

 

[Landshark]

Define an abandoned Cemetery???

Who abandoned this Cemetery? Not the people buried there, that's for sure. You have an old cemetery that is no longer visited. Give me idea on what's ok for you.

How long would you consider reasonable to wait to metal detect your grave, after you die? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Camo]

..........just a thought

A cemetery should be considered ''Hallowed Ground'', so that would be forever. Or until a developer decides to dig it up and put a shopping centre in it's place. Cemeteries are part of our culture, they are a place to reflect on past events and the people that have brought us into the present.

 

[Gorgar]

Don' do it. Think about the common sense. What are you going to find? A really nice gold ring that will pay your mortgage! Then what? Are you going to be proud to tell everyone including your friends you found it in a cemetery next to the dead?. Anyway.. this subject always comes up too often.

 

[drewwski]

A question

This has been hashed over quite a bit, but most are in agreement that cemeteries are off limits(I agree), but from what I have gathered no one thinks twice about battlefields. I see the point that it is easy to happen upon one unintentionally, or justify it by saying it is a Civil War camp. Seems to be hollowed ground as well. Here in Germany I find war remnants quite often, but it is just not my thing. Would rather find the cold hard cash in the form of coins....just my thoughts.

 

[Smiff]

Go for it,,,,,, sounds like they haven't been visited in a while. So as your detecting maybe talk to them for a bit. They would most likely appreciate it. I would leave the spade shovel at home and bring a lesche. May get some strange looks..

 

[amxfred]

Go for it,,,,,, sounds like they haven't been visited in a while. So as your detecting maybe talk to them for a bit. They would most likely appreciate it. I would leave the spade shovel at home and bring a lesche. May get some strange looks..

 

[scoot]

For me this is easy. If someone discards or has lost an item, they deal with it and move on. If you find it, it is fair game. If it could be something meaningful that could be returned to the owner if they wanted it, Great! Something that has been placed with someone in regards to their burial will always be theirs. There is nothing on this planet that is valuable enough for me to just take from another man, living or dead.

 

[Landshark]

Education

The question was asked, and maybe the Forum should collect all the answers and redirect them to one place. So the two people with under 20 posts like the idea. The members that have been at it a while say No Way!

Live and learn.

 

[digsafe]

I will never MD any cemetery moved or not,but i would walk around them.I have some native artifacts i keep around me,and my house..I have four native ancestors alive today.