Working with the International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP), in Bosnia-Herzegovina, I was exposed to gravesites where different exhumation teams were making recoveries. These sites and many more are being investigated for humanitarian reasons in the hopes of identifying the remains with their respective families.

Excavation of graves
Prior to organizing an excavation of a suspected grave (mass or single) some basic background information about the number or victims, year of burial and type of grave (e.g.: dug hole, natural depression, cave) must be obtained. This information will assist in planning for resources, equipment, number of workers and the amount of time that will be necessary to perform recovery of remains. This is the most critical issue for a successful excavation, and it is imperative that reliability regarding this information is confirmed.

Locating Suspected Grave Sites
Statements of witnesses are not always positive in respect to exact locations due to emotional stress, seasonal changes in topography or landmarks that may have been destroyed, etc., but still are the most important and reliable source of information for general or specific site location of the grave. However, if possible, information should be collected from more than one witness. If the grave's specific location is not known, it may be verified by other means.

Site Assessment
Before the excavation can take place, a preliminary visit to the suspected site is necessary to map the area to be excavated. Above all it must be insured that the area has been cleared of surface debris. Search party personnel need to be briefed on customary elements that indicate the location of a gravesite.

The most useful indicators for a fresh, or new, gravesite are:

• Differences in type and growth of vegetation — mixed species and disturbed growth
• Visual changes in ground surface level — depression, cracks, soil compaction
• Differences in soil composition while probing and coring — less compact, disturbed or showing contact with decomposed remains (the odor produced by sniffing a tip of the probe)

If the grave is older, oftentimes there may be no visible features to indicate a disturbance in the soil. One has to keep in mind that graves can be purposely concealed. It may be necessary to use other means of detection to reveal a general area where a grave may be located.

• Aerial or satellite photographs
• Ground penetrating radar (GPR) — may require relatively smooth surface
• Magnetometer — works over snow and water
• Metal probe — survey natural compact strata vs. disturbed soil, may bring decomposed scent on the tip of a probe
• Metal detector — helpful if metal or bullets are in and around grave
• Cadaver dogs — may be the most effective, even in very difficult conditions, such as very old and very deep graves, when remains are skeletonized or air and ground are moist

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