Location and Assessment of an Historic (150–160 Years Old) Mass Grave Using Geographic and Ground Penetrating Radar Investigation, NW Ireland

:  Reburial of human remains and concerns regarding pathogens and pollution prompted the search for, and assessment of, a 156‐year‐old graveyard. To locate this graveyard, historic and anecdotal information was compared to landscape interpretation from aerial photography. To assess and map the conte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of forensic sciences 2009-03, Vol.54 (2), p.382-394
Main Authors: Ruffell, Alastair, McCabe, Alan, Donnelly, Colm, Sloan, Brian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerial photography
Burial
Cemeteries
Forensic Anthropology - methods
forensic science
Forensic sciences
geomorphology
ground‐penetrating radar
Human remains
Humans
Ireland
Mapping
mass graves
metal detector
Pathogens
Radar
Soil
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Summary::  Reburial of human remains and concerns regarding pathogens and pollution prompted the search for, and assessment of, a 156‐year‐old graveyard. To locate this graveyard, historic and anecdotal information was compared to landscape interpretation from aerial photography. To assess and map the contents, surface collapses, metal detector indications, and ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) were used. Some 170 anomalies compatible with burials were identified on 200 MHz GPR data, 84 of which coincided with surface collapses, suggesting both noncollapsed ground, subsequent infill, and multiple inhumations. The graveyard was possibly split into Roman Catholic plots with multiple inhumations; Protestant plots; and a kileen, or graveyard for the unbaptized (often children). The work serves as one approach to the location and mapping of recent and historic unmarked graves.
ISSN:0022-1198
1556-4029
DOI:10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00978.x