cannon-ball / round shot ??

ha ha hello

My father was digging in the garden and found what appears to be an old cannon-ball/ round shot. The diameter seems to be between 65 and 70 milimeters. It weighs approx 360 grams (12.7 ounces / 0.793 pounds).
I thought at first it was made from stone but I can tell from closer observation and from the smell of it that it is metallic.

Is anybody able to offer any educated guesses as to how old it might be or anything else about it?

Thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67611416@N05/6157064702/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67611416@N05/6156496777/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67611416@N05/6156479415/in/photostream/lightbox/

apologies to the mods for the duplicate thread (i also posted in collectables and antiques); I didn't know there was an archaeology forum and I'm guessing my thread would be more appropriate here?.

dr gonzo

ha ha hello wrote: »

I thought at first it was made from stone but I can tell from closer observation and from the smell of it that it is metallic.

Im no metallurgist but it looks like a stone to me, very clear inclusions etc. Maybe a quartz?

Tbh it looks like a normal pebble to me, such as one you might find in a flower garden, but again im no expert.

slowburner

Looks like granite to me.
There was a post about a similar but more symmetrical stone in this forum not too long ago.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056314099

ha ha hello

Wow, that other thread is bizarre.. he used 3 photographs and a twenty cent piece to indicate size! Just want to set it straight that that wasn't me!

Is it possible that it is metal? It really does seem metallic. If it is something like granite or another rock, would it most likely be a round shot? How long ago would that have been used, if it is?

slowburner

ha ha hello wrote: »

Wow, that other thread is bizarre.. he used 3 photographs and a twenty cent piece to indicate size! Just want to set it straight that that wasn't me!

Is it possible that it is metal? It really does seem metallic. If it is something like granite or another rock, would it most likely be a round shot? How long ago would that have been used, if it is?

I would be fairly confident that it is granite. I think it is probably not spherical enough to have been round shot - the explosive gasses would have passed around the 'ball' rather than propelling it.
If it is anything other than a stone shaped by water (river or glacier) it is most likely to have been used for grinding, if it was, then you should be able to see evidence of wear/smoothness where the stone was in frequent contact with a cup stone.
Is granite an unusual rock type where you are?
Stone cannon balls were used in the late Medieval period as far as I can remember - but I could need correcting.

ha ha hello

Thanks for the answer slowburner. Granite is indeed found in abundance where I live so you are probably correct. Perhaps it was used as a grinding stone or perhaps it is just an unusually spherical rock... I'm a bit too lazy to get it looked at, especially if it didn't strike any readers of this thread to be anything special! :P

Batsy

The bullet (or shot) which killed Admiral Nelson in 1805 is displayed in a glass cabinet in Windsor Castle. I found that out last week on an episode of The Queen's Palaces, hosted by Fiona Bruce. In that episode she took us on an interesting guided tour of the Queen's favourite home, Windsor Castle.

However, try as I might, I cannot find a photo of the bullet for comparison.

HellFireClub

ha ha hello wrote: »

Thanks for the answer slowburner. Granite is indeed found in abundance where I live so you are probably correct. Perhaps it was used as a grinding stone or perhaps it is just an unusually spherical rock... I'm a bit too lazy to get it looked at, especially if it didn't strike any readers of this thread to be anything special! :P

Pressing a magnet against the surface would surely settle the question of whether the material is rock or metal???