Are old cemetarys a good place to go?

I recently finished mding an old cemetary and I am starting on another one. These are both old places with a lot of the old limestone headstones. The problem is I haven't found anything other than one wheat penny from 1958. Am I wasting my time with these places? Has anybody ever found anything at old cemetarys? Do you think it is immoral to hunt these cemetarys?

wtf? How come the bowl of popcorn never runs out?

Cementary hunting is verboten

Enjoy...  Hope I didn't repeat any!  I think some folks will still post, but this is some good reading too... this questions always draws some good popcorn eating and topic watching replies!

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Just for starters...

This post dedicated to Sherm.  

  I'm glad to see you found what you deserved.   


  .....however, I don't mean that necessarily in the way that you might think.  My personal opinion about graveyards, and coming from someone that will also be dead too .... someday, is.. If someone enjoyed themself throwing a party and dancing on my grave I hope they have a blast,  I would have no problem with anyone hanging out around my grave site.  Now that being said, there are many MANY people who don't think this way and it is STUPID to detect such a place because you will really tick them off... and on top of that, and probably just as good of a reason to stay away is... They suck to detect!!!  ...and now you know, find another site, this time among the living who actually  lose things.   

    PS...  Anything you find there you never really know how it ended up in the ground.  Would you really want some type of trinket that had been left there for someone?  I wouldn't be too afraid of a ghost coming to get it back, but I don't need detecting finds that bad.

To detect a cemetary is very disrespectful.  Others seeing any of us there detecting would view us like grave robbers.  Just don't do it!!!

I don't think you should detect around the head stone and over the grave. If you are in the road and along the path should be OK.......Matt

I tend to agree with Matt.  If you do the roads that shouldn't be a problem.  I do have a problem around the stones because technically that is private property and permission was not granted.

I use to know someone that detected the cemetery ...Not me...

 
Never ever ever hunt a cemetery ever.!!

Now here is an an example why.

You mom passes away and after the funeral you take
a very small gold heart that she used to wear all the time.
You place it just under the surface and to the right side of her grave
so,that she will always be able to have it with her.

Then 2 years later while going to visit you see some guy with
a metal detector on the right side of her grave with "the gold heart"
in his hands.

Now, What would you do??

Remember never ever ever ever search in the graveyards ever!!!!!

BAD MOJO!  I've got a spot I want to hunt where an old church once stood.  All that remains is the cemetery.  Even though I'd never ever ever hunt the cemetery, I'm afraid to hunt the area between the cemetery and the road, because I don't want anyone to think I'm digging in the cemetery.  This cemetery is near a lot of sites I want to hunt.  The last thing I need is to be turned down to hunt a field because they saw me digging in a graveyard. 
     Go to your local library , and do some research on your area.  Get permission to hunt fields if nothing else.  Look at the lay of the land.  Ask yourself "If I were going to build a house on this property, where would I put it?"  Then hunt it.  You might not find anything, but you might luck into an old house site, and you won't be diggin' up Grandpa. 

HH!
Cm2db

Everybody must have scared the HELL out of that guy!!!

in a word --no no no --and hell no -- the hobby as a whole does not need the public thinking of us as a bunch of  graveyard robbing ghouls ---for petes sake we're not archaeologist * after all ===*(grave robbers == with a fancy name)

I believe this is a personal preference, If you have permission from the Pastor or person or persons
responsible for this place and they are OK with it, and you personally are not bothered by it, then
its nobody Else's business if you do this. (although I would not announce this as a banner on line)
I have in the past walked around some cemeteries, with permission, I did not dig over the graves
but there is a great deal of open grass between areas to hunt, I did not find much...  I believe...
because someone beat me to it... 

(there are a lot of people here who have gone before you who will not confess it here)

But I believe this is really between you and your God and the people who maintain the place.
 Around the outside of the fence (is there is one) is a good place, as this is where the buggies
were parked I've gotten some Barber dimes in these places, but not much inside the gate...

I also wonder what this group thinks about metal detecting in a field that has
Indian remains.
Like an Indian burial mound, where you know there are hundreds of people buried....
would it bother you then ?  Or is this OK, because they are not "White" Americans.
and their graves are in open fields not marked by normal means.

When I was a boy, I used to hunt arrowheads in a field in Arkansas, across the Mississippi River.
We got permission through my mothers friend who owned a farm there...
These people told me the story of when they bought the property and there was an Indian mound
there, and they began farming the land.
 And what they said was this...

"The first time we ran a plow through the mound it litterally covered the ground all around in white."
"Over the years of farming the mound has been plowed down to the point where it is now level
with the surrounding ground, but it was a sight to see the first time we plowed it."

The farm was about 1/4 mile from the river and they had trout lines they ran for fish.
But they said you could still find arrowheads in the field, where the mound used to be...
I almost wanted to believe it was sacrilegious, to have done that...  but it was before my time
Just wondering...

I avoid known burial sites period -- be they white or indian --I have the blood of both running in my veins and respect the burial places of both equally -- now a villiage or living / near by creek area you bet I'll look for arrowheads or trinkets --but dig into a burail mound no way jose. --  look at a villages "garbage pits" are one thing but  burail mounds a whole differant matter.

Any burial places for me are off limits.  I don't see a problem with the roads or as the case in our cemetery, they have a pond where on memorial day Miss Columbia goes across it on a row boat throwing flowers into the water.  There are no graves in the area it is just a peaceful place.  On the other side up by my grandparents graves is another pond that people fish in.

I personally feel that digging near the graves is just as bad as digging in someones yard without permission.  It is just not right.  And that goes for anyone being buried be they African American, White, Asian, Native American or whatever nationality.

The decision is up to you but remember people bought and paid for those plots and therefore own them.  Without permission, it is just not right.

I don't think it is proper to detect within the cemetery.  However, if a church is next door to the cemetery, I would assume that would be ok at the church but not in the cemetery itself.

I think I am going to put in my will that my coffin is to have a bunch of pull tabs, both kinds, crazy glued to the outside top of it.  That should drive any cemetery MDer nuts.

These are some interesting outlooks and after everybody's replies I don't think I am going to go back.

These are some interesting outlooks and after everybody's replies I don't think I am going to go back.

...Kinda sorry you asked the question.

These are some interesting outlooks and after everybody's replies I don't think I am going to go back.

...Kinda sorry you asked the question.

The question needed to be asked, however, the decision is a wise one.

Enjoy...  Hope I didn't repeat any!  I think some folks will still post, but this is some good reading too... this questions always draws some good popcorn eating and topic watching replies!

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,145539.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,233616.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,6490.0.html
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Just for starters...

This post dedicated to Sherm.  

         


all have a good un..............
SHERMANVILLE

and...............


have some   

I agree about not hunting the cemeteries. Other people would get a bad impression seeing someone digging in a cemetery especially if they have family there. There are so many other places to hunt. Avoid this one. We can't hunt everywhere and we have to respect the ones we should not hunt in.

Why not detect around in cemetaries? It is not like you are even going to pick up anything that deep where the body itself would be anyhow or pick up grannies ring you know?. I do not have a problem with it. How many of you guys relic hunt? Just imagine how many graves you had already been around digging up those old cuff buttons and such? Heck maybe there was a reason you found 5 buttons in a row about 4 inches apart. What about picking up those beautiful American Indian relics you just happen upon while out relic hunting off in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes those real nice arrowheads were not always meant to go hunting with but, hey since there was no tombstones there you took it anyway right? Just because your not near a cemetary with tombstones does not mean you are not detecting where people are buried, Tim

     With me, it's not because I'm afraid I'll dig up a body.  I'm kind of old fashioned with some of my ideas.  When I'm walking around in an old cemetery, I try to avoid walking on any graves.  I picked this up from my grandparents.  It's all about respect, and it doesn't matter what color the person in the ground is. 
     Old cemeteries fascinate me.  There's a cemetery within 5 miles from my house where my great, great, great, great, great grandparents are buried, and 80% of the headstones in this cemetery have my last name on them.  If anyone would have their blessing to hunt their final resting place it would be me, but I ain't gonna do it. 
     I do; however, have my eye on a site within the confines of a city cemetery where a couple of old homes once stood.   They haven't started selling plots in that section yet.  Now, I am going to try to get permission to hunt that spot.  If I do hunt that spot and find something good, I'll have to title my post "Cemetery produces some good coins".  At least it'll get a lot of hits.  I hope I can get permission to hunt that spot.  If I do, I'll hunt it till the first grave gets dug, and then I'm out of there.  I don't care how good the finds are.  RESPECT YOUR ELDERS.  REGARDLESS OF WHICH SIDE OF THE SOD THEY'RE ON.  

'Nuff Said.

Happy Hunting!!
Cm2db
P.S.  I'm not lecturing you, Steve.  I know now where you stand.  Your post has turned into a general "Cemeteries:  Right or Wrong to hunt" post.

If you're spotted detecting in a cemetary you can expect at the very least to encounter a local police person who will most likely ask you to leave, and in some cases - possibly an angry mob of locals who will make your day of detecting a living hell. This is an on-going saga of mixed views/feelings on the matter and in my opinion - one to avoid altogether.

if you have to ask the question --is it immoral to ?  mostly likely in your heart you already kmow the answer to your own question. and usually its "yes, its immoral. -- but you ask others " which way is true north?" since your moral compass is in doubt to verify what you already know.

if you have to ask the question --is it immoral to ?  mostly likely in your heart you already kmow the answer to your own question. and usually its "yes, its immoral. -- but you ask others " which way is true north?" since your moral compass is in doubt to verify what you already know.

Well said

ive detected against the walls of our old churches, but never the graveyard....that would be bad, we had alot of civil war attacks on the churches by us,used as defensive outposts,and alot of musket ball dents litter the walls,so find quite a few musket balls,an inch and bigger................but never detect the church burial grounds..thats sick

Just North of Niagara Falls Ontario, I was with my girlfriend walking through a very old cemetery that is still in use. We were looking at graves of people that were born in the mid 1700's and war of 1812 when we came upon a fresh grave.  When the backhoe came in and dug the grave, they must have struck an unmarked, or just dug too close to the next grave because the soil was littered with bone fragments. (a lot of bone fragments) These were not animal bones.  I used my fingers as a rake and raked the soil, picking up a lot of bone.  I dug as deep a hole with my fingers as I could and buried the bones.  So, no I don't think it's right to detect in cemeteries.

Steve

["Are old cemetarys a good place to go?"]

"Are old cemetarys a good place to go?"

Yes, when you're dead, of course.

I have a problem with hunting cemeteries and while I might spend some time setting
stones upright or clearing debris I would not hunt them.  Having said that I know of what I believe to be a small cemetery that could date to the 15 century.  I would love to check the site with my metal detector and see if any metal could be found which might reinforce my belief that it is old but after a lot of years I have still not done this.

For those who are looking at cemeteries, my father told me than when he was young and travel was done by wagon, cemeteries were often used to camp in because not many people would bother any one there at night.

I have heard tales of graves being used to bury loot because the head stone was all the ties they would need after many years the grave and head stone would still be there.


j.n.

If I seen someone detecting a cemetery my loved ones were in........ I would get my shovel  out of the trunk, dig a big hole and plant something myself  there! No worries! I WILL COVER THE HOLE!

A lot of people leave rings, chains, or other PERSONAL items on the ground with there loved ones are placed! A grave is private property! It is also someone's final resting place. Show some respect. Sorry I am completely against that idea. New or old.
 

If you think it is worth the chance that some old, really, really --deleted-- red neck with a 12ga. won't shoot you because he thinks you are messing around his old Mama's grave, have at it. They are out there, and I was just blessed that I was not shot dead by him, and I was not near any graves but near where the old Church had once stood. If he had not seen that I was wearing a pistol, a I am sure he would have shot me, just as he told me he had planned to do when he first saw me in the Church yard.

Why would anyone want to take from the dead. They came into this world with nothing and that's what their leaving with.

If your in a cemetary...give it a rest.

Let the professionals dig the graves.

Foot paths, road ways and outside the gates are my rule of thumb if I come across a defunct cemetary that
holds some historic interest.  I've done a few and the recoveries have never been much.
Moraly I dont see much of a problem with this type of area but the key word is Defunct~ ie no ones been
buried there in a long long time.  One aspect that has to be observed though are areas that
are registered as Historic sites~ these are always a no no unless you can get permission and if its
on the federal register as a Archeologic site then dont bother.
As to the Graves themselves I stay out of the plots between the headstone and the footstone~ and if for
some reason I dig on a stone I clear it so I, and others, know where they are at. 
Respect the dead and thier offerings.
I'm looking for things people have lost, not things people have deliberatly placed at the site.

Whats of more interest are the Meeting Halls or Church sites near these areas if you can locate them.
I find nothing ghoulish about checking these areas but the locals may so be aware is all.  Archeologists dig
up the dead and thier possesions all the time and I approach such sites in the same manner.
Sans digging up the souls and thier possesions that reside there.
If you find a site that a local historic society has taken in hand, and get permission to check it, set some
finds aside for them to put in thier displays *and make the offer to do so* to aid in preserving a bit of
the history for the area.  Its the right thing to do.

Interesting topic.

I hunted a cemetery once but only because a church minister asked me to try and locate a gold wedding ring an elderly woman thought she dropped near the grave of her late husband's funeral...He accompanied me to the area and remained with me...Didn't find the ring...she may have been so distraught..she could have lost it elsewhere..

Anyway..I really felt uncomfortable searching near the gravesite..even with the minister there..I felt I was violating sacred ground..even though I am not what you would call a religious person...

So it probably wouldn't be a good idea to step a foot inside the gate of a cemetery...Common sense should tell you otherwise...not only that..you may get yourself in a world of trouble with the locals....Just my point of view..

Thought of checking a few out myself....The dead people do not care....I know I wont..So feel free to detect on my plot any old time....

There are fences around cemeteries for a reason. People are dying to get in. I don't know if I would want to rush it all that much let alone to detect there at night time and have some caretaker taping me on the shoulder scaring the begetters out of me thinking it's a poor stiff behind me.

In other words, I'm going to give it a rest. That's what I did when I worked in the morgue.

Taboo.  Not where I would go.  Don't go to a Texas cem.  Might have a few of them folks a bit tad upset.  Ya' know--family in' all.  Everyone is related to each other in the South.  
apush--from Texas.  

I only detect the cemetary's that have been long forgotten.  I can also say I never had to good of luck at them either.  I have never done a new in use location.

Just another thought on this topic about people leaving things at their loved one's graves.  The people who care for the cemetery as well as others that show up for their loved one's often take things that are left on or near the stones.  I have put some little decorations on my Grandmothers grave and they are not missing.  They were so small and right up against the stone that there was no way that the lawn mower would have hit it.

If you all think that people do not go in there and take stuff that they see just laying there, you need to wake up.

Personally I wouldn't touch anything left.  I wouldn't even swing around the stones.  But there are areas in some places that are just reflection areas where you can go and just sit quietly.  We have 2 such places in our cemetery and I have detected there.  They are not near any graves.  In one area, people fish there.

The bottom line on this whole conversation is people are buried there and own the plot they are in.  If you do not have permission to detect there then you shouldn't as it is private property.

     But stop and think a moment folks! I've heard stories where people have gone to a family grave and buried a jar with money in it. And just for the reason given by most people here. YOU WOULDN'T DIG IN A CEMETERY! This was more so in times past before metal detecters, and a good place to keep a stash. and if they ever needed to recover it, all they would have to do is plant a new bush. If anyone has ever made a grave recovery, I dought they'd say so.
I heard of one case where 2 or 3 Gallons where dug up near the headstone.

Obviously, over a grave, no way. If you find the "Parking lot" I see nothing wrong with it.
Old cemetaries had places where people would pull up and park there wagons. Is it wrong to hunt here too?
Newt

I saw a write up in lost treasure it was from about a year ago and i can't find it just read it about a month ago. About how to and were to hunt in cemetarys . And the writer for lost treasure thought it was ok to detect cemetarys..

I saw a write up in lost treasure it was from about a year ago and i can't find it just read it about a month ago. About how to and were to hunt in cemetarys . And the writer for lost treasure thought it was ok to detect cemetarys..

Either the next issue or the one following, the editor apologized for the article and made some clarifications that they were not condoning it.  While it is standard practice to bury at 5-6 ft deep now, that has not always been the norm.  Sometimes people were buried only deep enough for a coffin to go in, if there was a coffin at all.  Also one might consider the fact that if you are detecting an actual gravesite, anything you find that can be considered buried within the context of the grave is considered a grave good.  You are not allowed to take those.  And for the poster who mentioned Native American burials, that's a big no no.  If you find human bones, even on your property you have to stop digging immediately.   

Digging a cemetery is just a bad idea in my opinion.  Between the bad karma/mojo you may conjur up or the legal ramifications, I just don't think it is worth it.

So if you hold a degree in Archeology and say it's in the interest of "History" then its ok? All cemeteries usually have a office and I can't see any harm in doing drives & walkways. for all I know, I can find something "special" and return it to someones family member that lost it. So I say>>get permission (in writing), leave da graves alone and have a ball. EXCEPT when there's a funeral being performed.

MAY be a GREAT place for a "Night Hunt". No one there then but the ghouls & goblins AND>>>neighbors can't see ya. Just remember to notify the police ahead of time LOL.

I recently finished mding an old cemetary and I am starting on another one. These are both old places with a lot of the old limestone headstones. The problem is I haven't found anything other than one wheat penny from 1958. Am I wasting my time with these places? Has anybody ever found anything at old cemetarys? Do you think it is immoral to hunt these cemetarys?

Enjoy...  Hope I didn't repeat any!  I think some folks will still post, but this is some good reading too... this questions always draws some good popcorn eating and topic watching replies!

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,145539.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,233616.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,6490.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,225658.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,61363.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,64213.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,71897.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,52824.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,35096.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,52327.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,6911.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,70182.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,89783.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,92594.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,61363.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,122835.0.html
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,142739.0.html


Just for starters...

This post dedicated to Sherm.  

It looks like this thread isn't finished. 

In my last post, 12/18/09, I said I thought I had found a cemetery from the 15Th. century but I should have said from the mid 15 hundred's until mid 18 hundreds.
I tried to interest a historical society in this but they never answered.

I also know of another place where there were 3 or 4 graves that I could count. 2 of my brothers who live in the area said that there several more graves that they could see. I have seen this area listed on maps as an Indian graveyard but this is a place where immigrants along the Gila Trail camped. Also Fremont and Carson had scratched their names on a large rock but but I have been told that the rock was used by the railroad for repairs.

This leaves me with a question as to whether we watch much of our past destroyed or we do something about it but what?

j.n.

Don't bother. Cemetaries seldom see much activity from the living.

I once searched an old pioneer cemetary.

I checked only the open areas between the graves and around the main entrance.

No targets were found on the lawn and a few old shotgun shells were recovered from the main entrance.

Not worth the trouble.

-Sim

Where the buggies would have been parked is now a paved main road.