Old Gravesites .

[Fox Creek Kid]

dusty texian, how are you 100% certain it's a grave? After all, maybe it's full of gold. 

[dusty texian]

dusty texian, how are you 100% certain it's a grave? After all, maybe it's full of gold. 

       Well Fox Creek Kid,I thought about just ignoring that question and statement,and just leave it as a( Bad Joke.) But here is the only answer I can give you. I think you know that the only way possible to be 100% sure that there is a body, in this grave ,or any other old grave, for that matter is to open the grave.And that will never happen to the resting place of this poor soul , (that )you can be certain of.  So I guess you can say I will never be 100% certain,Respectfuly !,,,,,Dusty Texian

[cavsgt]

       Well Fox Creek Kid,I thought about just ignoring that question and statement,and just leave it as a( Bad Joke.) But here is the only answer I can give you. I think you know that the only way possible to be 100% sure that there is a body, in this grave ,or any other old grave, for that matter is to open the grave.And that will never happen to the resting place of this poor soul , (that )you can be certain of.  So I guess you can say I will never be 100% certain,Respectfuly !,,,,,Dusty Texian

  Class act and response.

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[Fox Creek Kid]

It was a serious question. I am assuming you are not an archaeologist, nor am I for that matter. However, a cairn of stones does not always indicate a gravesite. Native Americans often did as such to indicate other things, such as directions, etc.

http://www.desertusa.com/dusablog/rock-piles.html

Of course, if you feel as if you possibly may be desecrating something on an off chance then I understand. I see them as well here on the Border and mostly they are just a clump of stones.

[Major 2]

Archaeology and geology are fascinating fields I enjoy watching or reading about.
Pompeii, Egyptology and Masada all come to mind.
I also have strong feelings for the folks and their final struggles
Particularly, the Battlefields (Masada) CW sites or the Little Big Horn, and perhaps this poor lonely sole here in ...
Someone cared enough for him, or her or whatever lies below to leave a marker...

 100% agree with Dusty , I would never open it....

I found the photo of the rock pile with free rocks sign humorous....
Such a collection around here would be ignored , never touched

However, an identical stack such as that.... with " Posted "  DO NOT DISTURB "  or some such,
would disappear in short order. 

[dusty texian]

Howdy Fox Creek Kid.The reason I answered your question the best way I could ,is because I thought you were serious.First you are correct . I am not an Archaeologist.And I cant be 100% certain that the pile of rocks is a grave. I guess I am at fault for( putting two and two together).I found the shoe in the pic. below ,very close to the grave site along with other items ,such as an old water keg. Like I said it had been busted and staves from it made into a marker.Some clay or pottery pieces were also around the grave ,along with a metal button. It was very common to pile rocks over a grave in the past to protect the grave from varmints. All of these things make me believe it is a grave. And if it is not ,then no harm is done with us placing a cross over this place, and saying a prayer. I  (seriously) doubt it is full of gold.As I said I will never be certain,,,,,,,,Dusty

[St. George]

Before everyone gets to thinking that this is a pioneer's grave - think on this:

That's the sole from a sandal made from a tire casing - common along the Border, just as they were common in Vietnam, Africa, South America - and pretty much every place where cheap footgear is needed.

The little rectangular holes were to hold the rubber straps made from a bicycle innertube.

The 'cairn' may've served more as a distance marker, and wasn't covered in plastic waterbottles and other trash like other crossing points.

Scouts Out!

[dusty texian]

St George. I have been honest and said I thought this grave was from the teens, 20s or 30s ,based on what the shoe sole looked like. This one did not have an innertube strap.It had leather straps and a leather top of some sort. I do not know how you came up with the( pioneer grave idea).FYI IF YOU THINK THIS IS A CROSSING MARKER ,THINK AGAIN. The Rio Grande bluffs for miles in  each direction of this area are 500+ ft. vertical on both sides. Crossed at times with helicopter or air plane.But not often by a person in home made sandals. We dont even have to fence it to keep Goats from crossing .Fact is I say its a grave ,and it lays on my family ranch about 3.5 mi. West of the old Headquarters,and 1 mi. East of the western most line shack. I think if it were a crossing marker I would probably know about it .Landmarks used in this country for navigation are mostly Mountain peaks or some of the larger canyons. FYI  Markers used by Coyotes or Mules are never marked with plastic bottles or trash. Most folk would stand right next to a marker used by them an never know it .The ones you are talking about are just decoys.  ,,,,,Dusty

[Octagonal Barrel]

Dusty, I like your respect for potential gravesites - both your interest and unwillingness to disturb.  Certainly an archaeologist would want to dig to see, but - aside from the respect issues you raise - it would become a veritable circus if you did dig and recovered any human remains.  Law enforcement, archaeology, and Native American interests would all swarm the place trying to figure out who and when.

Do you have access to a good metal detector?  If you scanned the area around the potential "grave" and found no metal signatures, and then scanned over the potential grave and did find metal signatures, that might be decent non-invasive evidence of cultural artifacts buried below, and thus maybe a human grave.

Of course, maybe even that would be going farther than you'd care to.  Sometimes best to leave well enough alone.  Just an idea I thought I'd toss out there.

[dusty texian]

Think you are right Octagon Barrel.,,,,,,Dusty