Do you recognize this as ships hardware?

[GatorBoy]

Its location and the fact that it is solid bronze is what led me to this forum with this question I would appreciate any input thank you

 

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[releventchair]

Stumping me as usual with your finds.
A spindle. Tapered,threaded,keyed. It may be a sheared prop shaft. It has been used to hammer with since its original purpose as the threaded end is now too flared to run the nut on..
Looked for how a ships wheel was mounted but did not find a match.

 

[Red James Cash]

I'm seeing things or is there some kind of design on the threaded end of it(top view picture)

 

[GatorBoy]

Even in person I'm not sure if my eyes are just playing games almost seems like numbers stamped

 

[Red James Cash]

I think I see a 5 and a 3,I also think theres a C and a U

 

[Boatlode]

I agree with relevantchair - it must be some kind of spindle.

 

[GatorBoy]

Spindle sounds about right wish I knew to what that thing was very deep in undisturbed ground.

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm not sure if it shows up in the photos but it was definitely made wider on one end then the other the threaded end being smaller... it did gets splayed out from being struck or striking something else I suppose but that does not account for all of the difference from one end to another.
I keep picturing something like this
I just can't buy into the idea of it being a propeller shaft I know this area very well and know the ground I was digging and the length of time it takes to acquire a certain amount of patina...I can't imagine it was from a propeller...

 

[releventchair]

I'm not sure if it shows up in the photos but it was definitely made wider on one end then the other the threaded end being smaller... it did gets splayed out from being struck or striking something else I suppose but that does not account for all of the difference from one end to another.
I keep picturing something like this
I just can't buy into the idea of it being a propeller shaft I know this area very well and know the ground I was digging and the length of time it takes to acquire a certain amount of patina...I can't imagine it was from a propeller...

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The context of your finds area and your knowledge of it is going to trump my speculation for sure.
Mid length of your object shows a wear area like one side of a tapered bearing, but a key is not familiar to me in such an application like it would be in a flywheel. Gears,pulleys and couplings are traditional use of them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_(engineering)
Both ships wheels and bronze props have examples of using keys on some. Here is a prop shaft.

 

[GatorBoy]

Wow looks almost dead on I'm guessing it could have been used in one of the many steamships in the area quite a while back I'd have to go with that after seeing that last photo.
That area you mention isn't really wear its an odd overlapping of metal looks like it was from it being made... It's real wavy and inconsistent it's the only spot that looks like any type of a seam I don't see anything that looks like it was made in a mold even the key notch looks like it was handmade