Going back in TIME... 1700s Sundial.

pitdiggers

Full Member
Feb 16, 2009
178
0
Northern Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT, Shadow X5, Tesoro Cibola, Minelab XTerra
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

Thanks to my digging partner Monkeyboy this may be my best find ever. The pitdigger and monkeyboy clans hit the woods at a spot that was settled in the 1700's. Monkeyboy has popped out some super early coins that go back to the 1600-1700's over the years. After a few hours of popping out some tombacs, cast pewter and flat buttons I got a huge signal in an area where a natural spring was in the woods.

A few inches in the rocky wet ground I pulled out a large brass disc. The water gave this thing a different looking patina and it was covered in dirt so I carefully put it in my pack and kept digging. I had no idea what I had just found. Once we all took a break I pulled out the disc and handed it to monkeyboy. With a little water he slowly started to see some markings. Without hesitation he yelled SUNDIAL!!! Unreal. All of the roman numerals and markings are hand-engraved with excellent detail. The compassrose is hand engraved or stamped N,S,E,W. I was ecstatic!

After getting home I used a little water to continue to remove the mud and have done nothing else to it. After some research I found out that the early american settlers would use sundials instead of more expensive time pieces. Could be my best find to date!
 

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Upvote 0

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,032
137,024
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Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

That's a really cool find, never seen one posted before. :icon_thumright:
 

wwwtimmcp

Bronze Member
Sep 22, 2007
1,666
55
wakeman, ohio
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J.W.FISHERS pulse 8x
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Shipwrecks
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

by looking at the small hole between the n and s I think it had a compass as well so it would be lined up to give a correct reading. that is very cool indeed, thank you for sharing.
 

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
19,254
8,730
Dirtyville
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Deus
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Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

I found a small lead one in the Fall, was my neat find for the year.
 

jeffmrgan

Full Member
Apr 24, 2007
122
3
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explorer se /whites xlt
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

amazing find...i say banner
 

U

umrgolf

Guest
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

Amazing find, I've never seen one before either :hello2:
 

DMN

Bronze Member
Apr 19, 2009
1,290
74
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

I vote banner. Wonderful historical piece. :hello2: I would suspect it is more early colonial and maybe a 1600's piece than 1700's. Keep looking down the stream. You may find more of the parts.
 

Baggins

Bronze Member
Jan 2, 2007
1,541
89
TEXAS
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV / Garrett Ace 250/Minelab X-Terra 70
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

WOW! That is one cool find!
I say BANNER!
Baggins
 

dfx willy

Bronze Member
Nov 7, 2008
2,237
23
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

nice old watch!! to big to be a pocket watch though :laughing7: willy
 

Dman

Silver Member
Feb 10, 2006
4,106
328
Tennessee
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Minelab EXPLORER SE
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

That's a neat find. Congrats.
Dman
 

hogge

Silver Member
Mar 13, 2008
3,814
1,503
Pittsfield Ma.
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2
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Teknetics T-2SE--Whites Prism IV
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Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

Awesome find! First I've ever seen. Congrats.....Hogge :headbang:
 

MonkeyBoy

Bronze Member
Feb 6, 2006
1,600
57
Virginia
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V3i
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

I can honestly say I just never get jealous when other people find great relics.. I just love seeing them come out of the ground... BUT this one... I'm jealous!!! ;-) Great find...

Banner... all the way.

This is the same spot I dug the 1809 Half Cent.. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,294714.0.html ...stuff comes out in really good shape here.... so that puts it in some sort of date context.. that and all the buttons have been 1700 - early 1800s ..

Great Find...

MB
 

rogues71

Hero Member
May 9, 2009
545
4
mesa az
Detector(s) used
whites mxt
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

that is a great find and yet again i am inspired to go out and dig in the dirt. hope to see more from your site gratz
 

Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

This is a really great find!
Looking closely, I would wager that this sun dial was homemade as the Roman numerals and lines are not straight and therefore not machine made. It looks like it was etched by hand. Even the holes aren't uniform and looked punched out by hand. This would make it more unique as it wasn't mass produced in England and possibly an early American settler made it.
I could be wrong on this but it sure looks homemade.
Fantastic!
Dave.
 

peanut

Sr. Member
Apr 19, 2009
418
38
Arkansas
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Whites Spectra V3i, Fisher F2
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Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

:thumbsup:
 

HISPAN

Gold Member
Mar 15, 2009
5,160
605
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WHITES MXT ,GARRET ACE150,GARRET SEA HUNT MARK II.
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Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

A Banner for being a unique piece and very interesting, and anything like this is incredible .... a old watch the 18th century in America is like finding a needle in a haystack. :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
 

OP
OP
pitdiggers

pitdiggers

Full Member
Feb 16, 2009
178
0
Northern Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT, Shadow X5, Tesoro Cibola, Minelab XTerra
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: Going back in TIME... 1700's Sundial.

Wow, thanks everyone for your comments. It is definitely a banner find for me! After examining closer it is definitely hand made and hand etched or engraved. I didn't notice it until you guys pointed it out but it also does look like it was a compass as well. I will take some more photos of it tonight and post. I do believe I may have to create a custom display box for this one and hang it prominently on my wall. I really want to do some more research on this.
 

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