Is this Civil War cannon ball?

[Silvertip1958]

I dug this about 5" deep a while back and it came up looking like this, no rust. I assumes it wasn't that old, and may have been a decoration or something. It weighs 2 lbs.

 

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[recondigger]

My guess is no. However you need to give precise measurements when you post an item such as this. The size and weight is a must to be able to ID it. Cannonball guy is the expert and I'm sure he will help but he needs that info to be able to.

Dig until your arm falls off

 

[Silvertip1958]

I'm learning here, sorry. It's just a little shy of 2" across. I have nothing to measure around it at this time. Do I need any other measurements?

 

[Silvertip1958]

Correction- it weighs 1.5 lbs

 

[Rockfshr]

Might be a grape shot ball, weight and diameter seem about right.

 

[Rockfshr]

http://books.google.com/books?id=g4XcbT6OlhQC&lr&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=false. Might be of some help

 

[Silvertip1958]

Thanks for the link!

 

[gxray]

I believe this is probably an ornamental iron ball from an iron gate or fence post. The round "sprue" is indicative of where it was broken off.

 

[Silvertip1958]

Those round marks are on both ends and are smooth as if cut cleanly or from a mold not broken. I did dig it up not far from an old white picket fence.

 

[recondigger]

To my knowledge cannon balls are perfectly smooth so they wouldn't get stuck in the bore of a gun when fired. Was there a foundry near by that made cannon balls? What type of history dose the area you found it have?

Dig until your arm falls off

 

[Silvertip1958]

The Bowling Green Ky area. I've found several minie balls and CW era buttons in that area. Bowling Green was shelled in February 1862. I'm okay if it's not a CB just was curious.

 

[recondigger]

The Bowling Green Ky area. I've found several minie balls and CW era buttons in that area. Bowling Green was shelled in February 1862. I'm okay if it's not a CB just was curious.

I hope it is I don't know a ton about them I hope cannonballguy shows up

Dig until your arm falls off

 

[BuckleBoy]

I wouldn't think that any ordinance should have a sprue or imperfection of any sort. They were measured, weighed, and had to pass to even escape the factory. The stakes were high if one behaved erratically or was cast with flaws.

My guess is ornamental iron ball from a fence post or similar.

 

[Silvertip1958]

It seems ornamental is the popular vote. I wouldnt argue that point since I am no expert but a lot of pictures I review look similar and appear to have the "sprue"