10th October 2005, 10:47 AM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by drpeterwardle
This subject is debated regularly on both BAJR and Britarch and I have to say I disagree with what is being said.
New guidelines have been published by the CofE and English Heritage earliet this year. Reading this comprehensive review of the situation is the first step.
In short - is it OK to excavate burials for research - rareley and only with some specific in mind.
Is it better that "human remains are removed in a methodical and respectful manner than some developer going through a graveyard with a JCB". This is actually a difficult question. Current thinking is that it is not worth while monitoring for example the insertion of shallow service trenches through grave yards.
Similarly if we are going to have to remove all human remains from a graveyard before it is disturbed how small to the bones have to be. 0.00001,.0001,0.001,0.01, .1 or 1m before they are disregarded.
The issues are complex.
Peter
1m long bones?!? - even Peter Crouch isn't that big!
JCB v archaeological recovery. Not a difficult question to me. I have witnessed the removal of graves with machinery. Not much respect in my eyes. Mass removal with a bucket, riddled for the long bones and crania, split into groups of skull + eight long bones (plus a sprinkling of bits), boxed up...