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unusual stone

  • 26-02-2014 6:48pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 45


    Found this on a local farm near a castle , anyone any ideas


Comments

  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,218 Mod ✭✭✭✭slowburner


    Found this on a local farm near a castle , anyone any ideas
    Is it definitely all one stone?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,454 ✭✭✭bogwalrus


    The top part looks really smooth to the point of being decorative. Maybe a decoartive part of a castle?


  • Registered Users Posts: 45 finlayspub1


    Yes its all one stone ,i have shown it to several people and i have got several ideas from a pestal to a hook for holding tied horses etc !

    But still none the wiser


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,565 ✭✭✭cfuserkildare


    Looks to me like it may have been used as an anchor point for a candle type light cluster that is raised or lowered on a rope. You know the ones that look like an old cart wheel.


  • Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Fries-With-That


    The patina on this stone has the appearance of being disturbed where both different parts of the stone meet.

    The larger part of the stone appears to have had one face of it completely worked or removed from its location recently as it appears not to have acquired any patina other than the natural.

    Without holding the stone and giving it a good once over it is impossible to tell what has or hasn't been done to it, it is also impossible to tell if it is one stone or two stones joined together.

    From the picture it appears to me that its current state is from a recent occurrence. I am not suggesting this 'work' was completed by the OP but by whomever discarded it where it was recently found.

    However if you are from Co Laois and this comes from the recently demolished castle, a complete survey of the building before demolition would have provided indicators as to its function.

    ** Not an expert just offering my observations.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Reader1937


    I agree with the general tone From Mr. Fries. It is all about the context. Tie down, boot scraper, hook for hanging, support for tall furniture, horizontal fitting for resting and steading weapons, something to do with baking perhaps.
    Firstly what type of castle was it (is it)?
    Secondly where was it found in location to the castle?
    Thirdly what position was it in when found and what was surrounding it?
    Was work done recently on a specific part of the castle or has a specific part degraded/collapsed?
    It may have a very specific morphological signature - something that no one could mistake, but more likely the stone detail was carved for a specific onsite purpose. Given what is known of various times and various castle types, the more questions that are asked and answered the more likely the purpose will be divined.
    All of the above is just a guess.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7fchtEJpy8


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,437 ✭✭✭redbaron_99


    Looks like a mix between an anvil and an axe head. More likely to be part of building. Hope you find out what it is. I'd live to know


  • Registered Users Posts: 45 finlayspub1


    Hi guys , thanks for the replies . its not part of the castle at coolbanagher which was recently destroyed.I spoke to a local historian , and to two other archeolgical experts and they all agreed that it was a cobblers anvil .
    Its hard to see from the picture i guess , but it makes sense .
    They all inspected it individually , and all came to the same conclusion so i am happy with that !!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,437 ✭✭✭redbaron_99


    Hi guys , thanks for the replies . its not part of the castle at coolbanagher which was recently destroyed.I spoke to a local historian , and to two other archeolgical experts and they all agreed that it was a cobblers anvil .
    Its hard to see from the picture i guess , but it makes sense .
    They all inspected it individually , and all came to the same conclusion so i am happy with that !!

    I guess right! Yay me. Thanks for sharing your find!


  • Registered Users Posts: 45 finlayspub1


    Well done redbaron!! . I would have eaten it before i figured that out !!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,437 ✭✭✭redbaron_99


    Do you plan to go back to the site to look for more?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭chopper6


    It's a shoe last.


  • Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Fries-With-That


    Since the day this picture was posted by OP its intrigued me, when it was revealed as a shoemakers anvil or shoemakers last it has intrigued me more.

    Can anybody point me in the direction of an article or another picture of something similar.

    I can't argue with the experts that suggest its a shoemakers anvil, but :) if a shoemaker is using a stone as an anvil.

    What is he using as a hammer.

    Wouldn't stone against stone damage both and the piece of material being fashioned in a short period of time, steel hammer against stone is going to do the same.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 608 ✭✭✭Bonedigger


    Since the day this picture was posted by OP its intrigued me, when it was revealed as a shoemakers anvil or shoemakers last it has intrigued me more.

    Can anybody point me in the direction of an article or another picture of something similar.

    I can't argue with the experts that suggest its a shoemakers anvil, but :) if a shoemaker is using a stone as an anvil

    What is he using as a hammer.

    Wouldn't stone against stone damage both and the piece of material being fashioned in a short period of time, steel hammer against stone is going to do the same.

    Yeah,I'll have to reserve judgement about it being a shoe last too until we see similar stone examples.


  • Registered Users Posts: 772 ✭✭✭baaba maal


    Is it mortar that is on the face opposite the smaller part?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 608 ✭✭✭Bonedigger


    baaba maal wrote: »
    Is it mortar that is on the face opposite the smaller part?

    It does look like mortar or plaster alright,which would suggest it may have been set into a wall at some stage.


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