Dowsing graves>Once upon a time
one of the old schonstadt's
Delaware County Historical Society
You may find additional background on Robert Beam Gould through Delaware County Historical Society or the old survey records in the Delaware County Engineer's Office. Central Ohio counties were blessed with some very fine surveying and mapping professionals. I've worked other areas of Ohio and the old records and surveys here often amaze me.
The comment I originally intended to make was also a reference to these old records. Many years ago, believe prior to Civil War, County surveyors were authorized to construct field tile systems. Accurate alignment and grade records were kept. I have been able to dowse for these in several locations. Each time hitting the old clay tiles with a probe rod on the first try. Don't know about graves, know it works on drainage, electrical and telephone lines.
I have surveyed a few historical cemeteries
On one project, they called in a man and his wife who used thermal imagery devices to locate unmarked graves. He set a pin flag and I located the position for the map/plat. I did not probe the position.
His experience was travelling around the old civil war battle fields in many states and locating graves. He had a tried and tested success rate.
Dousing.. I have a few books in my library on dousing. Some are from the British Academy and other British Royal societies, where they take it very seriously. They also believe in map dousing where you place a bob as a pendulum over a map to locate position. Various uses are for finding anything…graves, minerals, artifacts etc.
I also have some dousing books done by California psychics so take that as it is.
I have watched dousers and have tried it myself. I can’t say that it was successful at all. The dousers were very earnest. Some used apple and persimmon wood forks. Some used coat hangers.
Once, I was asked to locate a old well on a property where the house , workshop/garage was lost in a forest fire about 15 years before I showed up. I had 2 bent brass welding rods and I doused around nothing happened anywhere. Then I just stood back and looked at the area and saw a more lush area about 5’ in diameter. Starting poking around and found the old well. I wish that I had done that first and not waste the time trying to douse and look like the cosmic fool.
I am not going to dismiss the power of the human mind at all. I have seen too many unusual events in life to say that some where somebody found something by dousing.
Dowsing graves>Once upon a time
That's what I figured.
I have located several buried pipes at those depths with the old pin finder.
Seriously, though, Andy
Actually, You said it didn't matter what the rods were, but clearly from reading posts and links, "Dowsers" do INDEED think that it matters what they hold in their hands. And they all have their own sort of style in how and what the movements mean. But it was late and I was on my phone and didn't feel like writing anymore.
Anyone who can prove dowsing works, can earn a very easy million bucks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Million_Dollar_Paranormal_Challenge
It doesn't work.