Fish Gig? (awfully large for that imo)

[pie4himm]

this looks like a fish gig but it is too bulky for that in my opinion..it is 10-1/2" long the "tines" are approx. 11/16" thick and the tines themselves are approx. 4" long..this thing is rather rusted down too, can imagine how much bulkier it was when it was freshly made...the sandy nature of the metal makes me think it is wrought iron and not steel..I would say it was fashioned at a blacksmith shop way back in time..could this have been a gig for whale? maybe fur seal? it weighs 2 LBS. 6 OZ. and would be too heavy to make an efficient gig to spear sucker fish?/..

 

[AKiwi]

Maybe a blacksmith's advertisement to hang above the "Smithy"
Sure would have made a mess of whatever it hit

 

[pie4himm]

I have seen tridents(which this item could be classified as) in illustrations in the Bhagavad-Gita.. I believe it was Shiva who carried one, or at least the trident was symbolized as his instrument, along with the Western world's "devil" being associated with one.. for all I know this was made as a costume accessory for some underground cult used in ceremonial purposes? your reply was good and very possible..

 

[Tony in SC]

Could be a fish gig?? But I would say it's a very , very, old hand forged frog gig. There were many more Bullfrogs gigged than fish. Tony
PS. Frog legs taste just like chicken

 

[pie4himm]

I guess it is possible to be a frog gig, but I have here a photo of an actual "modern day" frog gig side by side of this Roman gladiatorial trident (could be)? no, not unless I could do radiocarbon dating..lol

 

[redfish76]

It looks like a old ice fishing musky gig, guys up north cut a hole in the ice and put a decoy in the water and wait for the musky to grab the decoy then you gig them....

 

[Monty]

I have seen a garden tool that big used to turn and aerate the soil when it is not too compacted. Monty

 

[pie4himm]

possibly, a garden aerator tool, (although I have never seen a spade/potato fork like this), but why then does it have barbels on it as if to hold on to a body of flesh once it has pierced the skin?..in my opinion it would knock the fish unconscious as well as stab it, that's a good thing, if it does not penetrate the scales at least you can stun it, and recover the fish..lolol

 

[pie4himm]

have European treasure hunters with metal detectors ever dug up Roman artifacts? ..could there be a slim chance if any at all that this item could have survived in the soil for 1600 to 2500 years without full decay?, and is an artifact from ancient times? this item is ferrite material since a magnet sticks but I do not know if the Romans used iron or bronze when constructing Roman gladiator battle tridents? ..

 

[oldcoon]

That is rather large for a fish gig as you normally think of them, but it is about the right size for a sturgeon that were frequently gigged.

 

[Ramitt]

the tines look awfully thick for a gig don't they

 

[pie4himm]

yes, the tines are too thick to be a fish gig, as well as the weight is too much to make easy throws/casts/stabs/ spearing/ etc.

 

[Monty]

The only other thing I can think of is an Iron Age digging instrument for the first metal detectors invented! (Guess that means I give up). M ty

 

[deepskyal]

Trident spear for fish.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-farm-fish-gig-blacksmith-tool-spear

Al

 

[Breezie]

The only way this chunk-a-monka could be used to get a frog or fish would be to beat them to death with it! Interesting find, Breezie

 

[chetler]

How deep were you digging when you found this...It was not hot was it...I am sorry but the "devil made post this"-LOL-...chetler

 

[White Feather]

Maybe for "gigging" human game! OUCH!

 

[artyfacts]

Looks like it had barbs for latching into something. My guess is a custom fish spear that can knock the heck out of large fishes and break rocks too. Arty

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

What state was it found?

Even though it looks like a garden tool, it may be a fish spear if those are barbs.

Heres another large gig/spear/trident found. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,216892.0.html

 

[pie4himm]

What state was it found?

Even though it looks like a garden tool, it may be a fish spear if those are barbs.

Heres another large gig/spear/trident found. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,216892.0.html

it was found in Missouri 24 miles north of Springfield