Help identifying the use for the block I found on old farm.

[Xanthenx]

Metal detecting around my family's old farm I recently discovered a weird concrete block about 2'×2'×1' buried only about a foot down at it's bottom so it was essentially visible on the surface once the grass was torn away. Protruding from the top side a few inches diagonally from each corner towards the center are 4 pieces of metal wire-like material, but much thicker than any wire I have ever seen, similar to the diameter of a standard BIC ink pen. I cannot tell if it is copper or some other metal I'm leaning towards the latter, but it is malleable. Was it used as some sort of electrical ground or what? The farm was once used to grow tobacco and a concrete block built tobacco barn still stands on the property nearby. The humidity control was still on the wall and I pulled a little jar from the hole in one of the blocks, alas it was empty however.

 

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[Back-of-the-boat]

A picture will do wonders in helping to give you an answer.

 

[RGINN]

Sounds like some sort of an anchor block but need a pic.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

You don't need to anchor a ground wire. Here on my "hobby farm" I have to go down 18" to get below the frost line when setting things like posts, flagpoles, shed footers, pads to rest the trailer tongue wheel on, rain barrel bases, etc. so they stay in place at ground level after repeated winters and frost heaves.

As Back-of-the-Boiat said: "A picture will do wonders."

 

[Xanthenx]

 

[ARC]

Column / post base. IMO.

 

[Xanthenx]

Hmm what was it there for?

 

[Duckshot]

Hmm what was it there for?

I know a little about tobacco. Could have been the base for a stove in a flue curing tobacco barn? What state are you in?

 

[beepbleep]

4 pieces of metal wire-like material, but much thicker than any wire I have ever seen
It just looks like a regular 8" thick concrete pad with threaded anchor bolts set in for mounting something. One looks cut off. A pump or a light pole maybe, nothing too heavy for that small of a block. A sledgehammer would free up the metal scraps and leave a nice pile of concrete for patching potholes. Wear safety glasses.

 

[newnan man]

Formed & poured concrete block for some type of foundation. Bolts were used to secure whatever was mounted on it. Not real old. Could have been for any various use.