Excavation and exploration of grave recovery methods at Belknap Civilian Cemetery

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2019-08

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assist Young County in documenting a mid-nineteenth century cemetery with no interment records and determine the suitability of future interment sites through archaeological investigations and surveys. Belknap Cemetery is ½ mile east of historic Fort Belknap near Newcastle, Texas, and is the last remnant of the historic frontier town of Belknap. The final resting place of the historical figure Major Robert Simpson Neighbors is within the cemetery as well. Deterioration and poor maintenance threaten the already diminishing site and multiple graves have lost their grave markers. Unmarked graves are vulnerable to damage and disturbance with every new interment. Mechanical scraping and trenching were the archaeological methods implemented to discover unmarked graves. While not every area within the cemetery was excavated, the proposed interment site for two specific individuals was found to be free from unmarked graves and deemed suitable for future burials. This survey was more comprehensive in its methodologies than other surveys that have taken place at Belknap Cemetery before. More modern technologies were applied and experimented with, like photogrammetry and spatial data collection, to create a full digital record of all the grave markers. These methods helped us to understand the gradual expansion of the cemetery, how the grave markers are distributed, and what areas are expected to contain unmarked graves. The conclusion of the survey found that two areas within the cemetery are less likely to contain unmarked graves and are recommended for future grave allocations.

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Keywords

Cemetery research, Belknap Civilian Cemetery, Young County

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