ArmyOfficer Posted 30 May , 2004 Share Posted 30 May , 2004 I was once told of a "collector" who took home a german skeleton which is kept with his collection! He should be haunted for ever! Kirky: Its not as rare as you might think. In Europe, the Musee Caillou just south of the Waterloo battlefield (Napoleon's Headquarters the night before Waterloo) has a complete French Hussar skeleton, god only knows how long it's been there. And in the States I went to college in Gettysburg Pennsylvania and knew a shop that was openly displaying gold rings attached to finger bones in the 1980s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 30 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 30 May , 2004 To me is bringing them to a proper cemetery, protected against nature and "bad" things, my way of bringing respect BK, sorry, not logged on since last night and see you've been battling furiously since then. I think you burying these bones in a cemetary under your own steam is very thoughtful - they are still buried alongside their comrades (especially if it is the closest CWG to where you found them), but they have no chance of being disturbed ever again. By simply covering them over they will, eventually, resurface and may not be discovered by someone quite so respectful. BK, total respect to you, my friend - so long as you know in your heart that what you do you do with respect for the memory of those who died, then it doesn't really matter what others say on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 By simply covering them over they will, eventually, resurface and may not be discovered by someone quite so respectful. BK, total respect to you, my friend - so long as you know in your heart that what you do you do with respect for the memory of those who died, then it doesn't really matter what others say on here. You think so? We live in Flanders, the most close populated country in the world! I am scarred for Boesinge scenes. Diggin up the earth with everything in it, transport it to ???????? who knows and then concrete instead. This is the sad reallity here. But another "open" question. What about complete skeletons, like the diggers finds. Is that ok to "rebury" them? To me it is the same vision, What you people think? Don't forget in Boesinge my "concrete story" happend! ps.: the last time i bought / found/ was given relics is already more than a year agoo. And yet a lot of them are given to the Passchendaele 1917 memorial museum. They are hanging on the waal there in the map room of dugouts and pillboxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon R Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 Ralph makes a good point about identifying human bones, it is quite easy to get it wrong, especially if we're dealing with fragments. The Animal Army of horses and mules will be in the ground too. And of course people and animals have continued to live and die there since 1918 - a plough won't discriminate. This might seem like splitting hairs to some - if you're finding bits of bone in an old trench it seems reasonable to assume it's an old soldier - but what if Farmer Brown buried his dead cow there in 1944 then ploughed bits of it up in 1966? This might sound a bit glib, but the point remains - hadn't we better be sure our bone fragments are in fact human before re-burying them? Or, given that they might be quite fragmentary, is it better to assume they are human given the context in which they're found? It's always the same problem when you're dealing with bits of things from ploughsoil. Or do I worry too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 You know, this board is made up of some of the smartest and most consciencious people I have ever found - throughout the world. The very fact we're here shows a level of interest and respect not found among most. The fact we can ask a question or make a point and then delve into the extreme is really irksome. C'mon guys ... stop taking stuff to the level of argument just because ... because we can. I doubt visitors are bringing up back-hoes so they can get some trinkets for ebay. However, the question is real. Look at the side of Edward the Confessor's coffin in Westminister ... nobody took more than a finger-nail and over 1000 years or so it's been damaged ... our own Plymouth rock is now plymouth pebble ... My own acts are similar ... I have a pebble off of Harold's death site ... now if everyone did that ... While walking at Vimy, Lauren found a shrapnel brought up by a gopher ... those two things are links to me ... real souveniers ... Bad? The B&B we stayed in at Ypres had a garage full of stuff from their farm ... it was THEIR farm and every morning brought back stuff from their garden ... life goes on ... civilization goes on ... The difference between a Conservationist and a Developer is the Conservationist already has his house in the woods. .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 The B&B we stayed in at Ypres had a garage full of stuff from their farm ... it was THEIR farm and every morning brought back stuff from their garden ... life goes on ... civilization goes on ... So you stayed at V F , Charlottes place very good B & B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 Ralph makes a good point about identifying human bones, it is quite easy to get it wrong, especially if we're dealing with fragments. The Animal Army of horses and mules will be in the ground too. And of course people and animals have continued to live and die there since 1918 - a plough won't discriminate. This might seem like splitting hairs to some - if you're finding bits of bone in an old trench it seems reasonable to assume it's an old soldier - but what if Farmer Brown buried his dead cow there in 1944 then ploughed bits of it up in 1966? This might sound a bit glib, but the point remains - hadn't we better be sure our bone fragments are in fact human before re-burying them? Or, given that they might be quite fragmentary, is it better to assume they are human given the context in which they're found? It's always the same problem when you're dealing with bits of things from ploughsoil. Or do I worry too much? I know it is hard. but i know quite well the human skeleton. But indeed for very small pieces it is often hard. But those ones I don't rebury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 Every time this comes up I warn folks to be careful, in the Argonne I saw a man under arrest for removing battlefield artifacts. I think Bkristof is being completely respectful and it's also true one frequently cannot tell if bones are human. But we love horses, dogs, cats and if all in a battle area are treated with respect it's not the end of the world if some of that ends up with some human. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon R Posted 31 May , 2004 Share Posted 31 May , 2004 Yeah, I think you're probably right. It's just that in archaeology it generally does matter what species you're finding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now