Field Validation

Ground Penetrating Radar

Farmer Cemetery


Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area
November 8, 2004

Background: On Wednesday November 3rd, our group collected data in the Farmer Cemetery. On Friday November 5th, we met in Gainesville with Kent Schneider and he presented us with the computer analysis of the data which we have reported previously.

But now it was time to use the computer analysis back at the cemetery to compare what it was telling us to the known and unknown graves.

We were honored to be able to demonstrate to the US Forest Service Management what we were doing.

L-R: Howard Farmer - FFFF, Val Bucher - FFFF, Kathleen Atkinson - Forest Supervisor, John Mayer - Forest Archeologist, Michael Gryson - District Ranger, Pearl Wilson - President FFFF, Becky Bruce - Zone Archeologist, Tom Fearrington - Recreation Planner, Andy Colaninno - Deputy Forest Supervisor

Our plan was to go back across each meter grid line, and compare what we saw in the GPR output, with the known and unknown graves. Since the cemetery was very well defined, we did not find any new graves in the section surveyed. HOWEVER, we did find a case where we had previously thought we had a grave based on a stone laying on the ground, and we now were able to remove that stone as there was no grave found to actually exist at that location.

The process was to use a 3/8 inch probe to check each 'anomaly' to determine if in fact a grave existed. Ground that has never been excavated is quite hard and such a rod can only be pushed into the ground a short distance or with great effort. Where there has been a grave dug, even hundreds of years ago, the ground is much more easily penetrated.

The following photograph shows Kathleen starting to test a site with the probe.


A grave was found at that site - notice how deeply she was able to push the probe.


It must be noted that this work was done under the supervision of the Forest Service Archeologist. No excavation or probing of graves is permitted without their involvement and permission.

We feel certain now that we have a good enough understanding of the process to utilize it in cemeteries that are not nearly as well defined as this particular section of Farmer Cemetery. We still have two other sections of this cemetery that we would like to analyze. We also have many more cemeteries in the LRWMA that are excellent candidates for the process.