Thought it was junk..Firestarter-- Roman?

[goldnow]

Almost chucked this piece I found today thinking it's just another hook type thing, but it had some features that didn't jive, so held it in my hand the last hour waiting for it to reveal itself.. I'm thinking a very old firestarter that you strike a flint on (or visa versa) to make a spark to make a fire.

UPDATE:

Just googled firestarter images, and there it is.. Why didn't I do that before?

http://images.google.it/images?q=ro...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBsQsAQwAA

 

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[Swingit]

Re: Thought it was junk..Firestarter?

Nice

 

[DCMatt]

Is this a USA find or a find from a (former) Roman area? Any other relics or artifacts near it?

If you ask me, it looks like a broken tailgate chain hook.

Just my thoughts...

DCMatt

 

[pepperj]

Different type of find.

 

[goldnow]

Is this a USA find or a find from a (former) Roman area? Any other relics or artifacts near it?

If you ask me, it looks like a broken tailgate chain hook.

Just my thoughts...

DCMatt

I'm in Italy now, in the mountains without a road nearby. The fat end is smooth, and never broken, and also worn smooth with grooves from use on the fat side, which is what kept me from throwing it in the rust bucket. There is no way to connect anything to that end. The thin top handle is broken on its end.

The link I provided of others like it should convince you. The fourth picture on top shows one almost exactly the same.

Within 100-150 yards across the mountain, I found a Roman coin a few months ago, and some Roman bronze pot pieces.

I'm not saying it is Roman, it could be Medieval. I don't think these type tools changed form for a long time.

 

[CRUSADER]

These changed very little from the Roman period until the 17th century, so take your pick

 

[goldnow]

These changed very little from the Roman period until the 17th century, so take your pick

My earliest confirmed date on this ground around me is the Roman coin app. 90AD, then comes 14-15th Century for the pistol barrel confirmed, then every century after that with coins etc. So, I'm missing some centuries that I can confirm.

I'm guessing here, but I think those missing middle centuries, they didn't make very good metal around here and it just melted away.