What in the World?? Is this Natural??

[autographcollector11]

I found this in a local forest preserve in Illinois.
Indians lived here for hundreds of years and artifacts have turned up from time to time.

The object is clearly perfectly round-except where it is damaged. It is not solid stone-appears to be earth material. Perhaps clay or mud.

It is also exceptionally light in weight-it is not heavy like a stone.

I have heard of game balls or marbles used by native americans. I have no idea about this one.

Any ideas or thoughts?

 

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[bigfoot1]

seed ?

 

[Breezie]

It looks like what's left of a clay marble, although the color is quite different from the clay we have down South. Interesting, Breezie

 

[CoilyGirl]

I must be hungry,was thinking half of a chocolate Easter egg.

 

[randazzo1]

It may be a manufactured seed ball. I took an environmental class where we made mud balls like that with seeds in them from native plants and put them around an ecological preserve in New Brunswick NJ that was being attacked by invasive species - here is a website discussing the process. Environmentalists Adopt New Weapon: Seed Balls : NPR

"Seed balls are made out of mulch and seeds mixed together and knead into a red terra-cotta clay."

 

[TomPA]

I found a nearly identical one at a 1700's Indian Trading Post site here in PA. I showed it to a archeologist and he could not ID it, or what the material is. Much larger than most marbles and it does not appear to be of the clay marble material of ones that I have found. It is lightweight (almost plastic feeling) and the breaks, marks,and chips in it are interesting in how they are formed. When I saw your post, I sure was hoping someone would have an answer!

 

[Jason in Enid]

Ancient golf ball? IDK, but it's pretty cool looking.

 

[rock]

Put it in the Native American section and see if anyone can tell you. Might get a good answer there, good luck

 

[Holly_squirrel]

Lol, wait till u see what I'm posting when I stop driving... Another URO.. Unidentified round object... This thing is like a stone ball

 

[CoilyGirl]

Can't wait to see that Holly,until then its Cadbury time.