Archaeologists dig up 17 graves at Indiana pioneer cemetery
CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (AP) – Archaeologists have excavated 17 graves from a pioneer-era cemetery in southern Indiana for a road-widening project.
The excavations at Clarksville’s Stewart-Emery Cemetery were required by federal and state law to determine the impact that the road project will have on the environment.
Officials say all 17 graves excavated in the Ohio River city date between 1830 and 1900.
The News and Tribune reports that relatives of people buried at the cemetery expressed concerns when the excavation work began in June along Blackiston Mill Road.
Carl Camacho with Lochmueller Group says the excavation work’s top goal was to “maintain respect for the families and for the remains.”
Archaeologists will use ground-penetrating radar to determine how much room is left in the cemetery for reinterring the 17 sets of remains.