Quern stone and something else?

2pocie

Hi all, I was given this by an old neighbour several years ago. Not sure of the history of it, he knew it was something unusual but wasn't sure what it was.

I've been meaning to do some research on it for some time, I think it's a quern stone? I'd appreciate any insight on it.









He also gave me the green pieces below. They are a green crystal/glass like material with what seem like circular flint balls inside. Again I've no idea of the history and I lost touch with the former owner a long time ago. Any thoughts on what these are?







Thanks!

pueblo

No idea about the 'quern stone' but the green/glassy pieces looks like green obsidian. But that's a very uneductaed stab!

dr gonzo

The nodule on the right in the last photo is obsidian so I'm therefore inclined to agree with pueblo's answer, although I am also far from an expert on the matter.

As for the "quern stone" I would image thats just natural. I know very little about quern stones but that looks nothing like any I've ever seen. So, final answer, just a weird rock!

Thanks for throwing them up OP.

slowburner

Definitely not a quern stone.
It reminds me of an odd pebble I once picked up (pic). The outside is hard and the inside has the consistency of chalk.

For some unknown reason I feel these objects are not from Ireland - if that matters.

Coles

^ Ironstone concretion formed in sandstone/mudstone?

Cailleachdubh

I like your wedding ring!

2pocie

Thanks for the feedback everyone (and for the wedding ring compliments )
It would be interesting if they weren't from Ireland as the large piece of obsidian must weigh at least 10kg.
I got some more detail on the background and the story is that the finder was a tree surgeon, he was removing a large tree somewhere in Dublin and found this under the roots. The smaller piece is a fragment of the big one.

I'm surprised (and a little disappointed) at the theory re: the stone piece. It really looks like something that was made for a purpose, with the grooves all around it and the fact that its flat on each side. Probably is just an unusual stone. I still like it though, there's something very satisfying about the feel of it. Weird I know but I don't care..

Cheers,
Patrick

Maudi

2pocie wrote: »

Hi all, I was given this by an old neighbour several years ago. Not sure of the history of it, he knew it was something unusual but wasn't sure what it was.

I've been meaning to do some research on it for some time, I think it's a quern stone? I'd appreciate any insight on it.









He also gave me the green pieces below. They are a green crystal/glass like material with what seem like circular flint balls inside. Again I've no idea of the history and I lost touch with the former owner a long time ago. Any thoughts on what these are?







Thanks!

Re.the flat bottomed stone..poss fat lamp?

2pocie

From googling what a fat lamp is, that would be pretty cool.

slowburner

2pocie wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback everyone (and for the wedding ring compliments )
It would be interesting if they weren't from Ireland as the large piece of obsidian must weigh at least 10kg.
I got some more detail on the background and the story is that the finder was a tree surgeon, he was removing a large tree somewhere in Dublin and found this under the roots. The smaller piece is a fragment of the big one.

I'm surprised (and a little disappointed) at the theory re: the stone piece. It really looks like something that was made for a purpose, with the grooves all around it and the fact that its flat on each side. Probably is just an unusual stone. I still like it though, there's something very satisfying about the feel of it. Weird I know but I don't care..

Cheers,
Patrick

Nothing definite has been posted here yet about that stone.

2pocie

I asked an expert from TCD to look at the pics.

His opinion is that the stone is 'an ironstone nodule that is often found in Upper Carboniferous shales. These crop out in Kilkenny, Clare and Kerry, and elsewhere less frequently'

He believes the green pieces are waste glass/slag from a furnace.



So it would seem that the rarest, most valuable thing in the pics was my wedding ring after all
Still, I likes them even if I can't retire on them.

Thanks for all of the feedback.
I have some fossils I must post some pics of (not from Ireland but interesting all the same)

Cheers,
Patrick

slowburner

It would still be interesting to find out where the glass and the stone came from and if they are related to each other.
I knew a garden in Dublin years ago that had a collection of glass very similar to these. Unfortunately, I can't remember where the glass came from originally.
An explanation of the inclusions in the green piece would be welcome too. Something to do with creating the colour perhaps?

2pocie

Unfortunately the guy I got them from has long since moved away. Asking around though someone mentioned the glass could have come from the phoenix park. It sat on his windowsill for years before it came to me..

Maudi

2pocie wrote: »

Unfortunately the guy I got them from has long since moved away. Asking around though someone mentioned the glass could have come from the phoenix park. It sat on his windowsill for years before it came to me..

I also have a lump of glass about a kilo.clear.with some flecks of black in it..about 16 cm x 8cm..tiny bubbles also in it..looks to me like percussion ? marks on it.or as if pieces were knocked off it..it was in my fathers garden at least 30 years and i was always curious about it.