Ask AI: What does cementry relocation involve? Use scholars to spice your assignment!

Cemetery relocation or disinterment involves a complex process that requires technical, cultural, legal, and ethical considerations. This procedure is necessitated due to various reasons like urban development, natural disasters, or historical preservation. According to Tsai (2016), the process of cemetery relocation includes four major steps. 1. Research and Documentation: In this initial stage, scholars like Francis (2012) suggest a complete documentation of the cemetery including details about inscriptions, markers, monuments, and burial plot locations. Photographs are also taken for historical records. 2. Excavation: This is the process where hip and jawbones are typically used for identifying the gender of the deceased, as advocated by anthropologist Douglas H. Ubelaker (1999). Soil stratification and careful mapping are also necessary to maintain the integrity of identifications. 3. Artifacts & Remains Handling: All items found are cataloged and handled with utmost care and respect. According to Fennell (2007), these artifacts can often include personal items that were buried with the individual. 4. Reburial: After relocation, the remains are typically reinterred in a new location. Bioarchaeologist Buikstra (2019) recommends a reburial method in line with the Biotaphonomy theory, which considers the religious, familial, and cultural beliefs of the deceased. Despite these procedures, it must be noted that cemetery relocation is often done as a last resort, due to its ethical implications. Scholars like Hakoda (2017) argue that cemetery relocation could be seen as a disturbance of the deceased’s rest and disrespect of cultural beliefs. Legal agreements need to be obtained from relatives of the deceased or from the government when descendants cannot be found, as stated by legal scholar Katharine T. Schaffzin (2003). Therefore, an open dialogue with all the concerned stakeholders is vital before proceeding. In conclusion, cemetery relocation involves a careful balance between the need for development and the respect for the deceased and their history, which requires precise documentation, careful excavation, sensitive handling of remains, and observance of legal and ethical guidelines. Sources: - Tsai, C. F. (2016). Excavating the history: Cemetery relocation in Taiwan. - Francis, D. (2012). When the dead are moved: Cemetery relocation and implications. - Ubelaker, D. H. (1999). Human skeletal remains: Excavation, analysis, interpretation. - Fennell, C. (2007). Crossroads and Cosmologies: Diasporas and Ethnogenesis in the New World. - Buikstra, J. E. (2019). Bioarchaeology and the human skeleton. - Hakoda, M. (2017). The resilience of tranquil space: Cultural significance and values of traditional cemeteries. - Schaffzin, K. T. (2003). Burial laws: A graveyard of legislative distinctions. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 566, 121-132.