[Rockhounds] Unknown Artifact

[Axel Emmermann]

John,

Could this be a civil war hand grenade or artillery ordnance?

I found this text:

 " Canister projectiles - grape shot This was a type of ordnance that had
widespread use.  Essentially, it was shotshell in the cannonball that was
sent screaming into opposition lines. When it was fired from the cannon and
exploded in the combat field, the canister inside the ordnance burst open as
well - spraying lead pellets very similar to the way a shotgun spreads
buckshot.  This was an extremely effective way for shorter range cannons to
inflict large casualties on opposing armies. " 

This webpage 
http://www.historynet.com/grenade-the-little-known-weapon-of-the-civil-war.h
tm 
has (third paragraph) a short description of something that looks like your
find.

Cheers

Axel


Axel Emmermann
European Regional Vice President of the
Fluorescent Mineral Society
<http://www.uvminerals.org/>
=========================
Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen/Antwerp Mineralogical Society
<http://www.minerant.org/index.html>
Werkgroepleider/Workgroup leader: Fluorescerende mineralen/Fluorescent
minerals
Technische Realisaties/Engineering
My website:<http://users.pandora.be/axel.emmerman/home/>

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> Namens John Siebel
> Verzonden: vrijdag 19 december 2008 6:38
> Aan: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors
> Onderwerp: [Rockhounds] Unknown Artifact
> 
> Howdy List,
> 
> Several years ago I was traveling cross country as an itinerant handyman
and
> stopped on my way to camp by the Missouri River south of Pierre, SD. The
> next morning I was wading in the river mud and came across an item that
has
> me stumped. It's a slightly squashed sphere measuring about 4cm in
diameter
> with a 1cm hole that runs halfway through. This hole is not threaded. The
> item is soft (hardness is about 2), dark chocolate brown, somewhat
leathery,
> substantial but not heavy. It has a few grooves on the exterior that
suggest
> segmentation but not all the way around. Man-made artifact? Fossil? Alien?
> 
> If anyone cares to guess, photo at
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/31394106@N08/
> 
> Thanks - John
> 23" of snow and counting in Santa, ID
> 
> 
> --
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