Man Caught Digging For Treasure In Cemetery !

[gordonquixote]

Sounds like Georgie needs to mind her own business.

 

[h2oyo]

I just dont understand, I can understand why you would want to hunt in a cemetery but I never ever would. That is a place that is special. The people that are in there deserve to lay in peace and in my mind that includes anybody digging even small holes around them or the ground in which they are buried. Maybe its just me but if there is anyplace in this world where people shouldn't be allowed to detect its in a cemetery. This of course is just my opinion, but this really does bother me in many ways. Sorry if this sounds like a rant. Its not I just cant understand doing it.
Johan

 

[Martin_V3i]

I will be the Devil's Advocate...aren't archeoligists digging graves when they yank mummies from temples and pyramids and anxient burial grounds? I don't hunt cemetaries. I do wonder somewhat about the lost and forgotten cemetaries found way back in the woods. Maybe there is a date line on cemetaries, elsewise, why can the archys freewheel and dig in them?

 

[Jressman]

I will be the Devil's Advocate...aren't archeoligists digging graves when they yank mummies from temples and pyramids and anxient burial grounds? I don't hunt cemetaries. I do wonder somewhat about the lost and forgotten cemetaries found way back in the woods. Maybe there is a date line on cemetaries, elsewise, why can the archys freewheel and dig in them?

Agree 100%

 

[HullGuitars]

 

[ohiochris]

I will be the Devil's Advocate...aren't archeoligists digging graves when they yank mummies from temples and pyramids and anxient burial grounds? I don't hunt cemetaries. I do wonder somewhat about the lost and forgotten cemetaries found way back in the woods. Maybe there is a date line on cemetaries, elsewise, why can the archys freewheel and dig in them?

Like I posted before in another thread:...


"But atleast the "archies" are motivated by gaining knowledge and not plunder for personal gain , well most of them anyway. Depending on the circumstances , mankind benefits as a whole from the work that archealogists do , so even though I dont like that they disturb a sacred place , if its done for the greater good of mankind , for instance learning where we came from or why significant periods in our common history took place and how to possibly avoid the mistakes of our ancestors , I have to concede that if its done respectfully and not for greed then maybe its necessary. The difference is if its done for greed or personal gain then "plunder" and "looting" are better terms to describe it. I am aware that many people see it differently than I do so what I offer here is food for thought. "

 

[hittinthetarget]

It used to be legal, but will be illegal shortly. Just saying

 

[~Alan~]

Interesting to see this thread revived.

Just to say that in the UK, when archaeologists dig up human remains, it is
often (but not always) because the land in question is to be developed. Or
because they are shallow burials suffering from plough damage.

I don't believe they should be exhumed just to satisfy someone's curiosity.

 

[KarenESP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P06ixpsN4XU

Corny but cute...

 

[~Alan~]

.....>>............. It has bothered me so much that I am considering offering to put up some barbed wire around the perimeter to keep the cattle out and try to upright headstones. Hopefully the landowner will like this idea and it will keep me on good terms with him.

Sounds like a nice offer, but a shame the situation has got so bad.

 

[Crumble]

What's wrong with hunting a cemetery?! Is it because the headstones get in the way of your swinging? I normally just stack all the headstones in one corner of the cemetery then I can swing without any obstacles.

Only kidding... I wouldn't dare hunt a cemetery.

 

[BADBAJA]

Old thread but who cares right.? I am always reminded of The Good, The Bad, The Ugly with the gold buried in the unknown soldiers grave. So what would you do if you had 2nd hand knowledge of a cache buried in a grave, graveyard situation?

 

[GW3735]

I am in charge of caring for my church's cemetery and have even been asked by the pastor why I haven't detected the cemetery and my response has always been out of respect for the dead. So even with a pastors permission I couldn't bring myself to search it just doesn't feel right.

 

[RyanChappell]

Like I posted before in another thread:...
"But atleast the "archies" are motivated by gaining knowledge and not plunder for personal gain , well most of them anyway. Depending on the circumstances , mankind benefits as a whole from the work that archealogists do , so even though I dont like that they disturb a sacred place , if its done for the greater good of mankind , for instance learning where we came from or why significant periods in our common history took place and how to possibly avoid the mistakes of our ancestors , I have to concede that if its done respectfully and not for greed then maybe its necessary. The difference is if its done for greed or personal gain then "plunder" and "looting" are better terms to describe it. I am aware that many people see it differently than I do so what I offer here is food for thought. "

Who here is really gaining personally by metal detecting? It is a hobby. We do it for fun! Excluding certain beach hunters, I am pretty sure none of us make $100-200 a day like most of us make in our real jobs.

Our finds do sometimes contribute to historic knowledge, museums, and books, as well.

Anyone truly greedy would not be metal detecting they would be running a boiler room ripping off old ladies, or at least working a second job.

Sometimes I really wonder if Archies are motivated by knowledge at all. Seems like their primary motives are all political, as I assume securing grant money basically is. They follow internal trends toward hot politically correct areas of research, and seem to avoid actual digging at all costs.

 

[Swing-a-ling]

I was detecting on a large property (about 30 acres) just yesterday and there was a cemetery in
the corner. I was searching several areas looking for sign of a long-gone homestead.
I found it... about 50 feet from the cemetery. So I started gridding the area... Then thought about it.
The original owners of that homestead were probably in graves, right there. Kinda bugged me a bit.
I kept searching 'till I ran out of light, but every time I dug a signal, I felt a little creepy.

My question is; How close is too close?

 

[Dirt Nuker]

This is my post from yet another cemetery thread.
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?p=1770546#post1770546

Just throwing this little nugget out there.

Suppose a cemetery recently developed a new parcel of adjoining land, cleared it and was going to use it for new burials, but at present, there were no graves at all.

There's a lot near my parents house. I used to live next to a cemetery. Part of some farmland was acquired to be used as a cemetery addition. From what I have heard from city council members (my dad being one of them), they probably won't have any burials there until 2015 when the lot is properly groomed and sodded.

Is there a difference between an empty lot and an empty lot that belongs to a cemetery? Personally, I wouldn't bother because there are better places to hunt in this particular town, way WAY better places. I guess I'm just trying to bring some honest but friendly discussion on the matter. Too many threads like this go south quite fast. It just seems that some take the topic WAY to personal for some reason and it gets ugly.

Ooooo....even better. I know of one cemetery that shares a property line with a city park. Would you search the perimeter of that park knowing it was so close to cemetery property?

How close is too close to the graves (cemetery or not) and is there an acceptable distance from the graves to search?

I stand behind my statement. If I was given permission to hunt a cemetery, I don't see a problem if time permitted, but ONLY if it was NEVER over the graves or even close by. The plots are someone else's property and it's like going into somebody's backyard without permission. Unused plots belong to the cemetery association. That being said, there are roads nearby, unused parts of a cemetery (as mentioned above) and the oh-so-tempting curb strip of a cemetery. Seriously, would someone have a problem with a curb strip outside the cemetery gates?

Seriously now....where do you draw the line? I know of a city park that shares a property line with a cemetery that dates back to the mid-1800's. How close to the property line (on the park side) do you MD before it becomes "wrong"? Am I condoning MDing near graves? Absolutely not. Obviously, common sense should be exercised, but you know what, when I'm within my rights, I'll defend them (and yours). Oddly enough, the Civil War relic hunters are strangely silent.

Here's a tidbit that is bound to p*ss someone off. Since 1921, any cemetery in my state, if ownership is transferred to a local government from the cemetery association, has the same rights as a city park would. Public property (with the exception of the graves). Maybe that's a good thing since there would be actual laws defining what you can and cannot do.

Those makeshift shrines along the road that was mentioned before? Don't get me started on those. Unless someone is buried under that shoddy PVC cross, take it down. A man was riding his motorcycle at 105mph in a 40mph zone about 100yds from my house. I was outside and heard the crash. His body was mangled and lying in the middle of a 4-lane road. That didn't stop the family from making an extremely large shrine to the guy next to the road and in my neighbor's yard without his permission. He's tolerating it for now but he told me after winter. it's coming down and will stay down. Cops and (especially) paramedics I know are not fans of them either. It's nothing but a remembrance of some fatal accident they would like to forget.

Roadside shrine or cemetery plot and headstone....pick one.

.....and there is no santa claus) ;-)

wh.....wh......WHAT!??!?!?

 

[metaladdict]

It would feel really wrong to hunt a cemetery and creepy weird!

 

[GroundSweeper]

Old thread alert!!!

Wow, that's not far from me. Pretty crazy. Link to the story didn't work, can't imagine detecting a cemetery. Come on folks! Where'd common sense go??

Dang old thread caught me

 

[ohiochris]

Who here is really gaining personally by metal detecting? It is a hobby. We do it for fun! Excluding certain beach hunters, I am pretty sure none of us make $100-200 a day like most of us make in our real jobs.

Our finds do sometimes contribute to historic knowledge, museums, and books, as well.

Anyone truly greedy would not be metal detecting they would be running a boiler room ripping off old ladies, or at least working a second job.

Sometimes I really wonder if Archies are motivated by knowledge at all. Seems like their primary motives are all political, as I assume securing grant money basically is. They follow internal trends toward hot politically correct areas of research, and seem to avoid actual digging at all costs.

Everyone that ever found anything gains personally from metal detecting , even if what they found may be considered junk by someone else. Personal gain is not just monetary , if someone wants to detect a cemetary because they think there might be some good stuff there then they are doing it for personal gain.

 

[RyanChappell]

Everyone that ever found anything gains personally from metal detecting , even if what they found may be considered junk by someone else. Personal gain is not just monetary , if someone wants to detect a cemetery because they think there might be some good stuff there then they are doing it for personal gain.

The use of the term personal gain in the manner you are using it infers material gain or the increased potential for such. (ie. The mayor exchanged favors for personal gain.)

There is no net material gain in what we do. We are exchanging our time which is worth between $5-50 an hour for a fun experience in which we remove dangerous trash. (and very minimal amounts coins and valuables found, like $1-2 an hour) We are paying hundreds or thousands of dollars in opportunity costs to have fun, just like guys that fish.

In a very shallow glance at our hobby one would think that we are in for the money. "They metal detect, they must be greedy." That is part of what is wrong with the public's perspective of us.