Strange Foot-Long Piece of Metal from Germany

[aquapub]

This was dug up about 3 feet down in the soil on flat ground at the top of a mountain in Landstuhl, Germany. Weighs about 25 lbs from the feel of it. Was not far from a US military installation.

Approximate location

Anyone have any idea what this might be?

 

[stefen]

Shrapnel...

 

[aquapub]

Shrapnel...

How certain are you?

 

[UnderMiner]

There are probably more iron shrapnel pieces in that area of the world than anywhere else. One German metal detectorist told me once that there are so many iron shrapnel pieces in Germany you can't walk 4 meters in any direction in the entire country without getting at least one shrapnel signal.