North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
Abstract/Summary:
Project Name: Bozeman Cemetery, AR;
References: Kvamme, K.L. (2000). Bozeman Cemetery Survey (work in progress), data on file, ArcheoImaging Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas.
Hogge, Allison (2000). A Map of the Past: How Tomorrow's Technology is Helping Archeologists Re-Vision Yesterday. University of Arkansas Research Frontiers, Fall issue, p. 25.
The Bozeman Cemetery, located near Arkadelphia, Arkansas, was associated with the second largest antebellum plantation in Clark County. Abandoned in 1950 for 30 years, the Greek revival house has been restored, and several outbuilding exist including an 1840s barn. The central portion of the cemetery has recently been cleared from the encroaching forest. It contains the Bozemans, original settlers, other prominant families, and numerous unmarked and unknown graves, including the probable graves of slaves in peripheral areas. The known graves are locatable by head or foot stones and have been mapped, as have other suspected graves that are suggested by subtle depressions in the terrain.
The electrical resistance survey employed four twin probe arrays with 50 cm spacing on a single frame with near-simultaneous measurement using Geoscan Research's RM15/MPX-15 multiplexer combination. The resistance survey, conducted by University of Arkansas-Fayetteville students, indicated numerous and clear graves in the results. While most of the known graves were revealed, many new discoveries also were suggested.
The magnetic survey of the same region revealed numerous dipole anomalies characteristic of ferrous metal, and probably indicative of iron coffin parts and iron parts used for mounting gravestones. The very large anomaly in the southwest of the survey area is an iron wagon axle, almost totally buried vertically, left either as a marker or possible memorial. Careful inspection of this map also reveals a correspondence between known graves and some of the anomalies. Of interest is the linear feature at the upper left, a trail feature that was verified on-site after removal of additional forest floor litter.
A small section of the cemetery was also surveyed by GPR using a survey wheel for greater spatial accuracy. Single GPR transects revealed multiple graves in profile. Twenty-two such profiles, each 0.5 m apart, were then subjected to a time slice at 40-50 nS below surface (two-way travel time) to produce a plan graphic, which illustrates a number of graves and other anomalies (probably tree stumps since this region was recently cleared of forest cover). The GPR data may be compared with the resistance map where the boundaries of the GPR survey are indicated.
A benefit of a cemetery survey like this is that known graves, indicated by head and/or footstones, provide a ready means of ground-truthing some of the data. Moreover, because one can readily ascertain what known graves look like in the data identification of other probable graves is facilitated.