eyeballed intact clay artifact. (opinions please)

[GatorBoy]

I found something on a 1715 fleet beach this evening that makes two from the same beach...almost the same exact spot many months apart.
I would like everyone's opinion on these apparently tar coated terracotta "bowls".
They look like a crucible to me with that pull in the rim for pouring but read no trace of metal.
I think I may have really beaten the odds..finding two of these on a beach unbroken.
Thanks for any and all info.

 

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[GatorBoy]

 

[ScubaFinder]

OK that is just weird....I found almost identical bowls near each other (yes, two of them) on a beach near Tampa, I mean they are almost exact copies. I had someone tell me once that they were stacked on top of each other one with the opening down and the other with the opening up, and that scented oils were poured into the upright one to cover the musty smells down in the boats. I have no idea if that is true, I think it was a museum employee somewhere that told me that, they had a similar set on display, I think that may have been in the museum at the house of Refuge on Gilbert's Bar, Fl. but I'm not completely sure. Very strange to have two finds this similar from different coasts....here is a pic of one of them, diameter of the bowl is maybe 2-2.5". Will take a pic of both when I get home tonight....scary!

 

[GatorBoy]

HA! ....I love it!

 

[Donovan]

Because of the blackened rim and the little dip in the rim, they look to me like oil lamps. The dip would be for the wick. There might be dozens of similar items on a vessel.

 

[ScubaFinder]

Thanks for the insight Donovan, I can see that being the case now that you mention it. I knew when I saw GatorBoy's find that it was a match for my two, then when I read he had TWO also I nearly fell over. I don't remember if my other one has a dip in the rim or not, can't wait to get home and see. Too strange, I feel like I'm on an episode of The Twilight Zone. :-) I had never posted mine because I wasn't sure what they were or if they were even shipwreck material. They came from a beach that gives up shipwreck material all the time over here, and with GB's identical finds I'm starting to get more confident in them.

 

[GatorBoy]

I'm so happy I posted!
Gotta love this forum!
The odds of us ever comparing our finds without it are tiny.
This gets even stranger.. please look at my post in "beach and shallow water" metal detecting.
Clay pot is in the title.

 

[theseeker]

GatorBoy, I hate to burst your enthusiasm, these terracotta bowls are ceremonial/prayer bowls used by indians from India. You can get them in any Indian stores or Bazaars. I have found them on Hutchinson Island in Melbourne Beach and beaches in Palm Beach county.

 

[GatorBoy]

Ahhh.. so would they be the same today as they were a long time ago?
Would something like these be found aboard a ship or is it just a fluke? you think?

 

[GatorBoy]

GatorBoy, I hate to burst your enthusiasm, these terracotta bowls are ceremonial/prayer bowls used by indians from India. You can get them in any Indian stores or Bazaars. I have found them on Hutchinson Island in Melbourne Beach and beaches in Palm Beach county.

I don't see a lip pull area on any of the examples I see online.. can you post yours please?

 

[GatorBoy]

However this is what I find when I look up Earthenware oil lamp.

 

[Jolly Mon]

If they are oil lamps, they would be incredibly dangerous to use on a ship...

But apparently lamps of this type were used on ships in ancient times...

Here is a monograph on the subject: Shipboard lighting, AD 400- 1900

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...7YGgCA&usg=AFQjCNHsjFa7zExJL97Ipd3R4650eA4wHw

 

[GatorBoy]

I agree..
I thank you for the link though its not working for me.. might be a problem on my end not sure.

 

[old digger]

Gator, the bottom showing the clay material looks to me like it wasn't made 300+ years ago, being that if it has been in sea water that long. Just saying, but it is an interesting find!

 

[GatorBoy]

I know what your saying..but I don't know how long in has been buried or what.. I don't know much about it that's for sure.
But look at this piece of native pottery that is older that came from an erosion event on the coast.
Not all the finds have been in the sea this whole time.
It's even possible this has to do with a salvage effort not long after I suppose.

 

[GatorBoy]

Scubafinder also said he saw examples at a museum not far from here.
It's interesting I'll give it that.

 

[Jolly Mon]

I agree..
I thank you for the link though its not working for me.. might be a problem on my end not sure.

It is a pdf document you have to either open or save...it is actually pretty interesting reading...

 

[GatorBoy]

I got it to download thanks.
It's very interesting reading.

 

[ScubaFinder]

Interesting thoughts, I got home last night and my camera batts were dead but the charger was here at work. Here are the pics of my two, found on same beach about a month apart, within 100 yards of each other. I was thinking about which museum I saw these at, and I'm certain it was either Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge or one of the museums on the outer banks of NC near Currituck. I agree these would be rather dangerous on a boat especially in rough seas. I have an Indian Import trading company right near me, I will swing by and see if they sell something similar. I have seen middle easterners doing some sort of prayer ritual on the beach with candles on occasion so maybe that is where they come from.

 

[GatorBoy]

Thank you