Location and Assessment of an Historic (150–160 Years Old) Mass Grave Using Geographic and Ground Penetrating Radar Investigation, NW Ireland*

Abstract

Reburial of human remains and concerns regarding pathogens and pollution prompted the search for, and assessment of, a 156-year-old graveyard. To locate this graveyard, historic and anecdotal information was compared to landscape interpretation from aerial photography. To assess and map the contents, surface collapses, metal detector indications, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were used. Some 170 anomalies compatible with burials were identified on 200 MHz GPR data, 84 of which coincided with surface collapses, suggesting both noncollapsed ground, subsequent infill, and multiple inhumations. The graveyard was possibly split into Roman Catholic plots with multiple inhumations; Protestant plots; and a kileen, or graveyard for the unbaptized (often children). The work serves as one approach to the location and mapping of recent and historic unmarked graves.

The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials

“…Finally, in each area an undisturbed portion measuring 1x2m was delimited as a reference area, neither was altered by excavation or disturbance of any sort throughout the duration of the experiment. The reference area allowed for monitoring of any variations to the surface and the natural development of the native botanic species over the entire period of scrutiny as opposed to growth and species of vegetation directly above the burials [21].…”

Geophysical and botanical monitoring of simulated graves in a tropical rainforest, Colombia, South America

“…Discovered clandestine graves of 57 victims have been reported to be isolated (Solla and Iscan, 2001; Iscan and 58 Solla, 2005), co-mingled and mass burials (Varas and Leiva, 2012), and in a 59 variety of burial styles, depths below ground level and depositional 60 environments (Solla and Iscan, 2001;Iscan and Solla, 2005;Varas and Leiva, 61 2012). Such numbers of victims has been reported elsewhere globally, for 62 example, in 19 th Century Irish mass burials (Ruffell et al, 2009), USA race riot 63 victims (Witten et al, 2000), Spanish Civil War mass burials (Rioz et al, 2010, 64 Rioz et al, 2012, Fernandez et al, 2016, World War Two burials (Fiedler et al,65 2009, Ossokoswki, 2013), in post-WW2 Polish repression mass burials 66 (Szleszkowski et al, 2014), the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' mostly isolated 67 burials (www.iclvr.ie), the 1990s Balkan wars mass burials (Brown, 2006), and 68 sadly in active civil wars with both isolated and mass burials (www.syriahr.com).…”

Discovery of a mass grave from the Spanish Civil War using Ground Penetrating Radar and forensic archaeology

“…Successful mass grave detection has been undertaken globally, for example, in 19th Century Irish mass burials [7], USA race riot victims [8], World War Two burials [9,10], in post-WW2 Polish repression mass burials [11], the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' mostly isolated burials [12], the 1990s Balkan wars mass burials [13,14], and sadly in active civil wars with both isolated and mass burials [15].…”