09/30/2026
Archaeologists and cemeteries
Archaeologists use their knowledge to help protect cemeteries. They examine the objects and traces people leave behind. In cemeteries, this means looking at headstone symbols, the state of the grounds, and how graves are arranged.
đź’ˇOne important technology archaeologists use is ground-penetrating radar (GPR). GPR sends radar waves into the ground to reveal density changes beneath the surface. Professional archaeologists can determine if the data indicate potential graves. GPR services have the potential to help map where possible unmarked graves are.
đź’ˇTo help provide training to willing people, the Florida Public Archaeology network created the Cemetery Resource Protection Training (CRPT). CRPT workshops are a one day event with presentations in the morning and a field work component in the afternoon. The presentations cover the management of historic cemeteries, basic maintenance, outreach efforts, Florida laws surrounding cemeteries, regulations for abandoned cemeteries, the Florida Master Site File, and other info like the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR). The afternoon portion of the workshop goes over the best practices to clean headstones and other hands-on demonstrations. CRPTs will teach you how to use water, soft bristle brushes, and D2 to clean headstones.
💡In Sarah Miller's article, Cemeteries as Participatory Museums: The Cemetery Resource Protection Training Program across Florida, she states “Once trained with a baseline level of skills for cemetery preservation, the informed public can advance to make decisions and develop creative solutions to make the world a better place for the living and the dead”
“Cemeteries are for the living" is a seven-day Instagram series that will encourage us to think more broadly about cemetery spaces and the best practices to get involved in cemetery work. 3/7
This series of posts was created and designed by Alanah Cooper
