Anyone Know?

[Goodyguy]

Stone Ball,
Weighs probably 800 lb. or more and is about 24" diameter.





Found in Jeffersonville Indiana which is near the Ohio River.
Picture taken in owners yard where he is using it as a yard ornament.
Made of stone.... Not concrete.....believed to be limestone.

Any Ideas ?

 

[NGE]

Ancient yard art? ..........NGE

 

[mamabear]

I have no idea what it is, but am gonna watch this post in hopes of satisfying curiosity.

 

[timekiller]

Old stone ball finials.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[Daedalus]

The only thing I have seen like this is the large round stones that a tribe in South America made in the days of old .

Other than that I have not a clue !

Did the owner say where he got it ? And how old it is. It looks like it could be a wrecking ball also but I do not think they would have made it out of stone . They would have used concrete . And it seems to large to have been used for ballast for a ship .

It is a puzzle that is for sure.
We need more info on this , yep !

 

[Goodyguy]

Old stone ball finials.
Take Care,
Pete,

I did find this: http://www.isgs.illinois.edu/about-isgs/build/east-ext.shtml
What is throwing me is the square hole at the bottom and the slotted hole at the top

GG~

 

[timekiller]

Old stone ball finials.
Take Care,
Pete,

What is throwing me is the square hole at the bottom and the slotted hole at the top

GG~

yea I know but that's my best guess.If you type stone ball finials your see quite a few like it though.Maybe it was away to keep it secure. Sure wouldn't what that bad boy rolling on me.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[timekiller]

Could of been some sort of stacked version.

 

[timekiller]

Here's mine I got on that back patio.But the ball on it might weigh 10lbs as it is molded fiberglass. But it's 2ft also.

 

[Goodyguy]

Could of been some sort of stacked version.

 

[BobinSouthVA]

does the hole go all the way through?

Sure looks like a tool to me based on the score marks around it in a circular fashion. Used to crush something?

 

[timekiller]

does the hole go all the way through?

Sure looks like a tool to me based on the score marks around it in a circular fashion. Used to crush something?

May be were it was chiseled to form.As I see no set patteren it the marks looks like they sorta go all over the place.Also I was wondering is that a hunk of marble stuck in the one end that's broke off?

 

[RickyD]

On the Columbia River I've seen such items made of metal and filled with concrete used as anchors for mooring bouyies. Just a guess, but came to mind when I saw that it was originally found close to the Ohio River.

 

[Sky Pilot]

Looks like a worn out grist millstone to me...

The square hole tapers off to the slot for a wooden shaft and that's how it's driven.

Sky Pilot

 

[CRUSADER]

The slot is to help it being lifted. You put a kind of scissor wedge (not sure of the technical name) which when lifted uses the weight of the stone to hold it tight. An ancient stone lifting trick used since before the Romans. Makes a round object much easier to move about.

 

[Sky Pilot]

Worn out, as this one is on the way to bein'.

 

[Sky Pilot]

It's possible it was used to crush apples.

Sky Pilot

 

[Sky Pilot]

Or this one...

 

[Goodyguy]

I have not been able to find a spherical millstone.
The stone in the square hole is a puzzle also ...... millstones always used a wooden shaft.

 

[Sky Pilot]

I think it wore out and somebody finished it off round...

The square rock in the hole is just to fill the hole, you can tell it's not finished or even the same kind of rock.