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 ?

 

[ivan salis]

old stone barge anchors --made round so as to not hang up on stuff in the river bottom .

 

[Sky Pilot]

old stone barge anchors --made round so as to not hang up on stuff in the river bottom .

That does explain the slot on the other side of the square, it's where the chain came out!

Sounds very plausible to me.

Sky Pilot

 

[Produce Guy]

I recently saw a show on TV,where they used these big stone balls,about a 1000lbs. each,chained together, and about 6ft. apart.They would somehow get them up the top of a mountain and roll them down and they would pull trees right out of the ground.It was kind of neat.

 

[trixie charger]

A prop from Indy Jones No if you Google round stone spheres they show up everywhere, some the size of Bowling balls to 15ton giant spheres

 

[Breezie]

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,

I agree with Pete; I think it is a stone final of some type. Breezie

 

[Sky Pilot]

I go with Ivan on this.

The square hole is where the steel held the ball and the slot is where the chain links went through and on up to the ship/barge.

If you look closely you can see where the chain links have wallowed out the slotted end into an almost figure eight shape.........

Exactly like a chain link would because it has no center.

I think if Ivan posted a pic of one, it'd get a green check.

But what the heck, I thought it was a worn out cider millstone too.

I still think Ivan is right.

Sky Pilot

 

[traderoftreasures]

I think it could of been a counter weight for something else

 

[ivan salis]

sorry when I worked on the push barges for orgulf towing on the big rivers (1983)--they had big heavy metal anchors --- those stone anchors were a bit before my time --heck I'm only 50 after all. the square hole is on the bottom the other end is where the chain links went thru going to the vessel --it was for anchoring in places in the river where there was no suitible "tie up" spots --the round shape is to prevent it hanging up on debris on the river bottom.

it was attached by a long heavy duty metal rod with a square type nut on one end (thus the square hole) and a eye on the other end --where it linked to the chain ( inside the "rock") with a bolt / nut and shackle set up --the chain ran to the capstan on the vessel which was used to raise / lower it.

 

[Cappy Z.]

Could be a fossil.....The Brontosaur was known to have large kahonies.

 

[Silver Searcher]

I think it could of been a counter weight for something else

That's what I think it is as well

SS

 

[timekiller]

I have no doubt that they use round objects like that for anchores.But the problems for me are.
1) All the ones I've seen like them have a steel pin that looks kinda like what I drew below.(see no signs of one)
2) Why spend time cutting one from a stone like that when it could be poured of concrete?
3) Why take the time cause it would take time to cut & work out a piece of marble that fits so snug in the end hole like that?

I know nothing of were it was found on the river.Which does not really matter.As it could be from a old cemetery,or home site that has washed away over time.Or it could be it was put there for bulk head material to keep the banks from washing away as it is for sure broke from it intended use that I feel was a finial.That most likely had a marble base stand and who knows what went on top.
Just some thought's!
Take Care,
Pete,
http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=443525