is metal detecting in cemeteries unethical?

This is just a question I have been asking myself the last couple days. Is it unethical to metal detect in old cemeteries? In my life hunting and fishing I have come across several old forgotten cemeteries over grown and hidden away from most of the world. Now that I have started metal detecting those places have come back into my mind. I find myself torn on whether or not to go and see whats there. Do I go and detect and see what has been left behind or do leave it be? I was curious to see what you all thought?
please let me know.
BW

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That was the way I was leaning, when in doubt don't. Thanks for the input!

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,22785.msg162271.html#msg162271

Dido...might be my an-sisters your mess'in with?

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Actually, it's a good question, especially in the case of old "forgotten" cemeteries...many of which aren't nearly as forgotten as you might think.   Too many people will do/say anything they can to give our hobby a bad reputation.  There is no reason why any of us should knowingly give them any added ammunition.  What you would find probably would not be worth the cost to the hobby.   And that doesn't even enter into the question of showing respect for both the dead and the living who might be related to them.  It's best to leave the grave robbing to the paid professionals who have college degrees "entitling" them to unearth human remains.

And make no mistake about it, if you are seen swinging a metal detector anywhere near a grave, there are people who will assume your taking stuff out of the graves even if you keep your coil well away from all graves.  Best not to give them the opportunity to misinterpret what you are doing.

On the other hand, if you spend some time cleaning up the cemetery and you happen upon a couple of silver coins on the surface while clearing the paths between the graves, I don't think either the dead or their living relatives will object to you pocketing them.

BA

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		Quote:			Posted by BitburgAggie_7377
	On the other hand, if you spend some time cleaning up the cemetery and you happen upon a couple of silver coins on the surface while clearing the paths between the graves, I don't think either the dead or their living relatives will object to you pocketing them.

I am in agreement with BA on this and it has come up before in another discussion here on the boards,
if you go in with the intention of cleaning up the graveyard , and then only surface scan the walkways and parking areas around the outside of  the graveyard then no one will probably say anything, if it's on Pvt property u can approach the owner and see if it's ok to go around the outside perimmeter of the graveyard.
as far as scanning over actual graves thats a question that only you can answer.



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"Keep Digging Its Down There Somewhere" Treasure Hunting, Gold and Coins.