Map and Database Construction for an Historic Cemetery: Methods and Applications

• Autores: Johan Liebens
• Localización: Historical Archaeology, ISSN 0440-9213, Vol. 37, Nº 4, 2003, págs. 56-68
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Accurate maps and databases can be beneficial for research and management of cemeteries, but such documents have rarely been linked for historic cemeteries. This paper focuses on the mapping and inventorying of historic St. Michael’s Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida, and on potential applications of the results to other cemeteries. The mapping involved a global positioning system receiver to establish reference points and a total station survey of individual marked graves, borders, and fences. Grave inscriptions and marker attributes were recorded on a microcassette recorder and transcribed into a spreadsheet. All data were imported into a geographic information system to produce an accurate digital map and database. The map and database are suited to examine architectural trends and influences, historical social issues, evolving funerary customs, demographic trends, and cemetery management matters. The fully interactive map and database are available on the Web and can potentially serve archaeologists, historians, geographers, genealogists, geologists, forensic scientists, and anthropologists.