They were digging in a place that had specific meaning for a specific community, maintained by people who were still alive and still present at Fort Sill when the alleged robbery occurred.

The Bones Question: Physical Examination Without Excavation

One possibility that deserves consideration is non-invasive physical examination of the grave at Fort Sill — using technology that can assess the condition of the burial without disturbing it.

Ground-penetrating radar — GPR — is a technology that uses radio waves to detect subsurface features, including buried materials.

It has been used extensively at archaeological sites to map burials and other features without excavation.

It can detect disturbances in soil stratigraphy and can sometimes distinguish between areas of undisturbed soil and areas that have been excavated and refilled.