Big iron day. I mean BIG!

[Dirty Digger Doug]

So there used to be a house at the front of my property from about 1865 - 1950. I have found lots of stuff in the yard. Well since we don't have much of a winter here in Michigan I got the itch to go detect the old home site one more time. I went over a 9 on the nox 800 and followed it about four feet. Thought it was some old wire. Then it hit this. About broke myself in two trying to get this out of the ground. Thing weighs at least 60 pounds solid iron. Anyone know what this is?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[pepperj]

Noting the weight and agreeing with the previous suggestions of R/R related.
Thought first as a track aligning tool (the hook would go on the underside of the rail the flat part would lay against the bed of the rail to shift the rail over or up for alignment)

The second thought is an early version of an anchor setting tool ( for putting on the anchor )

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[Drew61]

Very interesting. Maybe have it sandblasted or cleaned up in some way, might have some identifying markings not yet visible. Good luck!

 

[Pumpkin]

Certainly some kind of pry bar. The hooked area would engage something very specific as it’s quite small, a steel cable, chain link, clevis, or curved piece of bar etc. The rounded butt behind the hook provides cam action leverage. It would’ve had to have been used against a very hard surface with the leverage involved.