There is a legend that on my father's farm there is an indian burial ground. There is a large mound type hill.

Question

Is there anyway for me to know aside from digging it up?

Answer 1

Do some research and find out what tribes were in that area and reach out to them. Many tribes have councils that could possibly give you some background about how their people were "handled" (Sorry, can't find the right word right now) after death. Some buried their deceased,others cremated, still others "buried" them above ground.

Were it m, I'd want to know simply because it will give you a sense of just what your land was used for in the past.

Answer 2

Whatever you do ..do not dig there yourself. you may disturb the site if it is verified to be a real site. There are a few things here. One try to verify the sources of the legends. What are the local tribal stories. Write this information down. Mounds often can be burial sites. please do not disturb the site becuase how items are layerd, found, scatterd in the strata tell a story. if things are moved and even the soil disturbed it can scramble the story to be found. It can also potentially cause damage to the site by the elements and site robbers.
There are three things to do.
1. Keep the site protected and limit information as much as possible to outsiders. You do not want people treasure hunting or whatever there.
2. Contact the nearest univeristy with anthropology/archeology department. They may have more information for you. they may show an intrest in doing an exploratry dig if the rightfull property owners are willing.
3. Contact local tribes that may be affiliated to the mound to see if any might have aclaim over the artifacts and bones there. Tribes often may have first rights. If this site is sacred to them you may have to weigh protecting the tribes interest and sacred grounds versus the potential information a site can give via correct archeological dig. An archeology or anthro professor can give you the proper way to go about all of this.

The best thing to do is ask a lot of questions before proceeding in any direction. You do not want to be tied up in court with tribes fighting for their rights and potentially tying the property up in so much litigation that the entire property becomes worthless. You also want to give them your respect. And.. if there is a story to be found here in the mound you want it all to be done the right way.

For fun you may even get interested in some anthropology classes yourself :)

good luck!

Answer 3

Yes, PLEASE do not dig. Preserve it in situ in case it is an archaeological site. "Stuff" from a site is all but worthless unless it is as found in place. There is plenty of "stuff" around in private collections, museums, and warehouses that other than to look at is all but useless to learn anything from about the People - the culture that used and produced the items. Often what's thrown away is more valuable to researchers, even the dirt.

Contact your state's archaeological (sometimes under historical) society with what information you have. Alternatively, whatever local university that has an archaeological department (under anthropology) may be helpful.

Answer 4

Why not just leave it alone? If, God forbid, your mother or father were dead and buried, would you want others poking around the grave just because there might be beads or bones to be found?

If it is a burial mound it could very well be sacred ground to someone.

Just leave it be.

Answer 5

If your east of the miss. river its quite likley there is most were mound builders you can tell if there man or woman made( im not going through that again i got 17 emails last time from women) call the bone diggers at closest university they can tell you

Answer 6

Check in your local library or a local museum if there is one to see if you any get more information that will help you get to the truth, rather than legend. The librarian and/or the curator of the museum would be glad to help you. Good luck.

Chow!!

Answer 7

In nearby American way as quickly as we are saying stable bye to the guy and we bypass away them on my own perpetually. while you're a close-by, you're by no skill assume to be there yet once you're no longer they could in simple terms bypass away you on my own. do in simple terms no longer shrink to rubble there aspects and don't take any reason some nevertheless stay interior the bypass. They nevertheless "could" have that anger in them reason the carry history of the white adult males killing natives and that they have got been located. in simple terms tell them sorry and telling them you're in simple terms passing by,

Answer 8

go to your nearest library or courthouse, somwhere there are records about who all has owned it, start backtracking, try talking to the local librarian who keeps such records and old people. find out what tribe lived there, find there descendant tribe (prob in a casino now) and ask them

Answer 9

research of course, if you are old enough. research the land owners before you, not sure how far back you will go but maybe you will find something . are there hauntings? good luck with that...

Answer 10

ask a local historian or the historical society in your area they may know. good luck