What to do if you find bones on a construction site?

When Human Bones are Discovered

1. Halt construction tasks immediately: It’s critical that all work is halted at this point.
2. Contact the Property Owner: They must be made abreast of the situation.
3. Law Enforcement will assess the human remains: Human remains may be an archaeological find or a more recent death.

Who excavate old remains?

archaeologist
An archaeologist is a scientist who studies human history by digging up human remains and artifacts. Lucy, the oldest human known to man — nearly 3.2 million years old — was dug up in Ethiopia by archaeologist.

Is it ethical to dig up human remains?

“It’s not okay to excavate human remains simply because we’re archaeologists and that’s what we do,” Sayer recently told Discover Magazine. He suggests that rescue excavations — where burial sites are about to be destroyed by natural disasters — are definitely permissible.

At what point is it archeology and not grave robbing?

Originally Answered: At what point is it considered an “archeological expedition” and not “grave-robbing”? When the people were buried in the last 75 years it’s grave robbing. When the people were buried 1000 years ago, or even much less, it’s archeology.

What happens when human remains are found?

If the remains are determined to be forensic the county coroner will retain jurisdiction over the remains. If the county coroner determines the remains are non-forensic, then the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation will take jurisdiction over those remains found on non-Federal and Non-Tribal land.

How long is an archaeological season?

Digging is slow, and most sites are big – so a dig can take many seasons. A single season can be anywhere from one week to a couple of months; it’s rare for an excavation season to last longer than that.

Is it disrespectful to dig up tombs?

The short answer: “There’s no blanket answer… Sometimes, yes definitely. And sometimes it’s the right thing to do, not to excavate,” says Duncan Sayer, an archaeologist who has written a book on the ethics of burial excavations.

Why is it OK to dig up mummies?

“If you imagine bones that have been laying for centuries undisturbed in soil, they reach a kind of equilibrium with the soil around them, so the deterioration tails off, as it were,” he says. “If you dig them up, and then rebury them in another place, you get this fresh round of deterioration.”

Is grave robbing unethical?

Both archaeology and grave robbing can involve the act of uncovering a grave or tomb with the intent of removing the artifacts, corpses, or personal effects inside them, but only one of them is considered illegal in the United States.

Is it a federal crime to dig up a grave?

It is a misdemeanor to knowingly and willfully excavate, remove, destroy, injure, or deface any historic or archaeological site, or burial ground, situated on public lands without the express permission of the public agency with jurisdiction over the site.

What happens when a construction project finds the past?

Construction crews often find themselves digging up significant pieces — and people — of the past, and those discoveries could sideline a project for a day or shut it down permanently.

Is it common for architects to find human remains in buildings?

“It’s common enough that in 2007, the American Institute of Architects added a provision to its standard form general conditions addressing the discovery of human remains, burial markers and archeological sites,” Altman said.

What should crews know about reporting historical finds during construction?

Crews must be aware of the reporting procedure for situations when they come across what appear to be bones, historical artifacts or a burial site during construction, and prepare for a potential slowdown in work when they make an unintentional discovery. Coming across a historical find isn’t a one-in-a-million chance.

How much does it cost to deregister common land?

Find out more about deregistering common land. To apply, complete a section 16 application form and return it to the Planning Inspectorate. You must pay £4,900 to apply to do this – when sending your application, include a cheque for this amount made payable to ‘The Planning Inspectorate’.