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Archiver > CEMETERY > 1998-09 > 0905305453


From: David Dyer <>
Subject: Re: [CEMETERY-L] Metal Detectors Re: CEMETERY-D Digest V98 #212
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 1998 21:44:13 -0400


Patricia,

I think your response on this subject is touching, thought provoking and
sincere. I am sure (as I said in one of my earlier posts) that somebody would
mess it up for everybody but I would "draw the line" at destruction of anything
in the cemetery and/or removal of anything obviously meant to stay in the
cemetery ( things buried with the deceased. It is not like saying it's OK to
shoplift but not OK to bank rob. Both of those activities are illegal and for
that matter both are morally wrong. In the case of cemeteries, removing items
not intended to be left with the deceased ( buried with them or flowers on the
grave) is neither illegal (except maybe in WA) nor morally wrong (IMHO). Anybody
who leaves a valuable item (Indian Head Penny) on the surface of the ground is
just asking for it to be stolen ( not that that makes it morally right). -DD-

Patricia Neal wrote:

> OK, I have to agree that metal detecting in a cemetery is small potatoes
> compared to bulldozing over graves and putting up a parking lot or building
> skyscrapers. But I guess my concern is where do you draw the line on this?
> I spent 16+ years in Alaska and most of those years as a museum
> director/curator as well as involved in restoration and preservation
> projects. I have been to other museums in the lower 48 and have seen some
> of the items that have been sold or donated to museums that belong in
> Alaska. And many of the items taken from graves were anywhere from
> "trivial" things such as trade beads, buttons and coins, to even larger
> items. Believe me, it is upsetting to know where these items came from!
> These items were buried with the person for a reason--and out of respect for
> the deceased we should leave it there.
>
> I am very concerned about preserving cemeteries and stopping "progress."
> I've seen first hand how moving graves to make way for a highway has angered
> the local Native community for YEARS after the fact. It is disturbing to
> search for someone in the city cemetery and come to the realization that
> he's buried under the highway--because there are no family members to
> contact! If we are to be successful in preserving the past--including
> cemeteries--we have to draw the line somewhere. It's okay to take a metal
> detector to the cemetery and search for incidentals and dig it up with a
> small knife but it wouldn't be okay to dig up anything with a hand trowel or
> a shovel? That's like saying it's okay to shoplift but not okay to rob a
> bank.
>
> So...where do we draw the line on protecting our cemeteries?
>
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