ABSTRACT
People all over the world have long been interested in the use of geophysics to identify graves. This chapter offers examples of a number of different burials in different ground conditions where burial practices are known or can be inferred. Reflections produced from burials are not usually simple, and it is a rare and joyous occasion when ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data show simple point-source reflections from each casket or burial, with little variation in depth or burial type. Collecting GPR data in cemeteries is often relatively easy, as the ground is frequently flat, and in formal cemeteries it is mowed and manicured. Human interments can be found in many different environments and conditions: within formal cemeteries, in mass graves of disaster victims or from other actions, in out-of-the-way places. In general, the use of GPR for grave detection and mapping is often challenging, as ground conditions can make burials quite variable for a variety of reasons.
